The NeverEnding Battle
by REMdream
Summary: This is the tale of Elanor Rose and her struggle to keep the ones she loves afloat in a world of war and hatred after she was thrust into Arda at the moment of her death. Her dark hair and eyes mark her as one of the East, but even those people know that she is not one of them. Followed by death and sorrow, she must march onward for the sake of those who look apon her for guidance.
1. A Cruel Fate (pt 1)

I do not earn any legal payment for this literary composition, thank you.

.oOo.

Chapter I

A Cruel Fate (part one)

It only takes one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to insanity.

That's how far the world is from me.

One bad day.

~The Joker

.oOo.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was the day that my life turned upside down.

WWIII broke out on Thursday, June 22, 2062. It was 10:27 and I was just getting out of school in my home town in Darien, Georgia.

They let us go early, which was very strange since we had a lot of end of the year testing to do.

' _Maybe they had this planned all along_ ' I thought, but when I walked out side, however, I knew that wasn't true.

Cars were every where, lined in every driveway and even some were up on the sidewalk. Parents were rushing their children inside their cars and vans, not even bothering to make sure their seat belts were on, and even with cops in the parking lot, drove off at a speed well over the limit.

Teachers were helping students find their cars and parents; practically dragging them away from the school in an almost panicked run.

I stood in shock for a moment and stared at the chaos until my Mom's voice shouted above the havoc, "Eleanor! I'm over here!"

I looked to see she was one of the cars on the sidewalk in front of the school. She was frantically waving at me as she got out of the car. Her shoulder length brown-grey hair was swaying slightly in the wind and her bright green eyes were flashing fearfully.

Not knowing what to do I just ran over to her and she shoved me into the back seat without a word. Quickly returning behind the wheel, she shifted the car into reverse and backed off of the sidewalk. Once in the driveway she sped onto the road not bothering with smoothing out turns.

"Mom, what's going on?" I said from the back seat.

She gripped the steering wheel, "Do you remember your father and I talking about the political issues yesterday?"

I nodded at her reflection in the rear view mirror.

She took a deep breath, "The negotiations escalated this morning and the president was shot and killed as a result."

I sat forward my eyes wide in shock, "What?"

She sighed, "But that's not all. The Vice President was assassinated shortly after while taking the oath of office."

I sat back in shock then sat up again, "What about William, and Lewis and Michael? Are they ok?"

"Yes, as far as I know. I got a call from William this morning around 9:00. They are just being sent to keep the peace in DC." She looked back at me, "Don't worry, everything's going to be ok." Her smile didn't quite make it to here tear brimmed eyes though.

She looked back to the road, "Everything's gonna be ok."

The rest of the car ride was in silence. I looked outside of the window at the trees covered in Spanish moss. They were old and strong and very tall, I've always enjoyed climbing them, to sit in their branches and dream.

I felt the car turn as we drove onto our driveway. Our gravel driveway seemed to make a louder sound than usual as the wheels of the car rolled along it.

We lived in a thickly wooded area, with neighbors a fair distance away. Our two story house stood like a white ghost in the middle of a green clearing. The flag of our country was fluttering lightly in the breeze.

Mom put the car in park and quickly got out, me following closely behind, "Where's Dad?"

"Out getting supplies." came her frank reply.

We approached the front door and Mom opened it up.

"When is he going to get home?" I inquired further as I walked inside and shut the door, which she quickly locked and dead bolted.

"In a few minutes." she said while hurrying into the kitchen.

I set my stuff down on the couch in the living room. "I'm going to go out for a walk." I called to her.

"No!" her reply made my hand snap away from the door handle. She came rushing into the veranda, "You can't go outside right now."

"Why? There's something your not telling me isn't there?" I crossed my arms.

She rechecked the dead bolt then turned back to me with a worried expression. She absentmindedly tucked her hair behind her ear, "Honey, please. Things are very unstable in the country right now." She gently took hold of my shoulders, "Your father and I will tell you everything tonight. Trust me."

I reluctantly nodded my head. I needed to think, but I suppose my bedroom will have to do for now.

Mom walked back to the kitchen and I picked up my bag from the couch and hopped up the stairs to my room.

I tossed my bag onto my bed and sat on my window seat at the far end of the room. I leaned back on the wall and stared out into the mystical forest that was my yard. It was the same as always.

I looked over at the picture on my desk. It was of me and my three brothers, William, Lewis, and Michael.

William is the tallest in the family. He has dark brown hair and greenish-brown eyes, and now he has a scruffy beard.

Standing on his left is Lewis. He's the second oldest and twin to Michael. He's the prankster of the family. In the picture he's making bunny ears over Will, making William's semi serious face look rather funny. Lewis has dirty blond hair with mischievous green eyes. The picture was taken at Christmas so he had the ugliest sweater on for the celebration.

Next in the photo is Michael, the third eldest. He looks exactly like Lewis, but his personality is almost the exact opposite. He prefers dry humor and quick-witted snarky comments other than pranks. In a way they compliment each other, but it's in the worst way possible, for other people that is.

And there I am, getting sandwiched by the two twins. My straight brown hair is wild from playing tag, and my eyes are a dark brown but bright with excitement. Dad says I inherited his mother's eyes. Which I am very proud of.

I am regrettably the shortest person in the family. I didn't even get to my Mom's height, and that's pretty bad in of itself. But it's like Michael told me one time, "Your short, but no less dangerous than a giant." The context of that statement is, two years ago I was getting harassed by a bully at the ball park, and before my brothers could come to my "rescue", I had already broken his nose with my fist. To say the least, after that incident all of the guys at my school were afraid to come within two yards of me.

Anyway, all three of my brothers decided to follow my grandpa's example and join the military. William being very logical was put in as a strategist. Lewis and Michael are both field men. They're all very good at what they do, but I still worry about them a lot, and now that all of this is going on, I'm worrying about them even more.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out. It was a message from Lewis.

 **Lewis**

Hey kiddo.

How are you holding up?

 _10:49 am_

 **Me**

Just fine.

How are you?

And why do you keep calling me kid?

 _10:50 am_

Because that's what older brothers do.

And I'm as well as could be.

Everyone else is too.

 _10:52 am_

That's good.

When are you guys going to come home for a visit?

It's already been so long.

 _10:53 am_

I don't know.

Things are pretty hectic here.

I only have a few minutes of a break and

then I have to get to work again.

 _10:54 am_

Lewis

what's going on?

Mom is really worried

and I don't know why!

Won't Clancy be sworn into office  
sometime today?

 _10:55 am_

It's more complicated than that right  
now, Ella.

Just keep smiling for Mom and Dad.

Will you do that?

 _10:57 am_

For me?

 _10:58 am_

I'll try.

 _11:00 am_

Good.

 _11:01 am_

I'm sorry but I have to get back on the job.

I'll have Will text you later.

 _11:03 am_

Ok

Please be safe.

 _11:04 am_

I'll do my best, Sunshine.

 _11:06 am_

I laid down my phone and looked out the window.

'How did this ever happen?' I thought.

Wheels on the gravel signaled an approaching vehicle. I looked back out the window to see my Dad had parked his truck next to the car and had started to unload groceries from the back seat.

I got up from my perch and jogged to the stairs.

"Myrtle, I'm home." Dad's voice echoed up the hall as he came in. Myrtle is my Mom's name, William is my Dad's. They named my brother after my Dad, but instead of William Jr, we just call him Will.

I hopped down the stairs and turned the corner, "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, half-pint." he said while ruffling my curly hair.

"Dad!" I ducked out of reach swatted his hand. "I'm eighteen now!"

"So you are." he laughed.

My Mom came into the room and gave him a smooch. I looked away obviously grossed out.

I quickly looked back at Mom, "Ok. Now that Dad's home will you tell me what is going on?"

"Right to the point. Huh?" she sighed. "Honey?" she looked at Dad.

He took a deep breath, "Well, shouldn't we sit down first?"

I slightly nodded and followed them into the living room. I sat on the couch while my parents took separate seats.

Dad took another breath, "As you know there have been rising concern about Communism here in America."

He waited for me to nod then continued, "This morning Communist activists detonated bombs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and... Washington DC."

"What? But William, Lewis, and Michael are there!" I exclaimed.

"Calm down." Dad ordered, "The bombs went off before they were sent there."

I sighed in relief, "So why can't I go outside?"

Mom spoke next, "Because we don't know who is a Communist and who isn't. It's very dangerous right now. You can't go anywhere alone anymore. Do you hear me?"

"Yeah. But what about my friends?" I argued, "They would never side with Communism!"

Father sighed, "Not even them. I'm sure what you say is right, but it might not be true for their parents."

Another car's wheels on the gravel out side could suddenly be heard. Dad jumped to his feet and looked through the blinds and out the window, "It's a deputy. He coming up to the door." He looked at Mom, "I'll get it." Then walked to the door around the same time as the deputy knocked.

Dad opened the door as Mother walked to his side.

"Mr. and Mrs. Rose?" he asked in a formal way.

"Yes." Dad answered.

"I'm sorry to bring you this news now, but it's my job." he stated sadly.

I got up from my seat and walked behind my parents.

"I regret to tell you that both Major Lewis Rose and Captain Michael Rose have both been killed in an explosion while on duty in Washington DC. Again I am deeply sorry for your loss..." his words faded into the background as my hearing and sight failed me.

' _They're gone._ '

I heard my mother's anguished cries from the doorway as I fell backwards a few steps.

' _They're dead._ '

I felt a warm tear slip down my cheek, and I saw Dad shakily thank the officer and quickly close the door.

He looked at me and I heard him call after me as I ran up the stairs and into my room, locking the door behind me. I fell in a crumpled heap on the floor and numbly felt myself take out my phone. I scrolled to the bottom of the text feed to Lewis' last words to me.

Please be safe.

 _11:04 am_

I'll do my best, Sunshine.

 _11:06 am_

The phone slipped from my fingers, and I hid my head in my arms and cried there, lying on my floor, for what seemed like an eternity.

The moment of Lewis and Michael's deaths was 11:07 am.


	2. A Cruel Fate (pt 2)

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn anything from this. I only claim my "OC"s

.oOo.

A Cruel Fate (part 2)

.oOo.

At the burial site Mom collapsed into Dad's arms and sobbed uncontrollably as they lowered Lewis and Michael's empty caskets into their graves.

Will stood beside me his face showing deep pain and remorse.

I had sat in a daze throughout the whole funeral ceremony. Not many people came and those who did, I barely even knew, if I knew any of them at all.

They all wore black. I hate black. It's so void of joy, and it holds no hope.

' _It's odd how they were born on the same day, and died on the same day as well._ ' I thought in morbid fascination. ' _I wonder if they're happy where they are now. Wherever they may be._ '

The ceremony is over now. I suppose I should follow everyone home. I suppose.

Will took a hold of my elbow and gently led me towards our car where Dad drove us home.

I walked in silence to the house and up the stairs into my room. I shut the door behind me and walked to the window.

Silently crying, I looked down at the rope swing where we all would play together. I remember when Lewis dared Michael to climb to the top of the tree. He made it, but didn't realize the higher up you go the less weight the branches can hold. Long story short, he ended up wearing a cast on his arm for six months and Lewis got grounded for a year and six months. I tried to laugh at the memory but it only came out as a choked sob.

I heard my door open and close. I glance over my shoulder to see Will coming up to me. I quickly wipe away my tears and look back out the window.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently.

"What kind of a question is that?" I answered coldly.

He sighed, "You know I didn't mean it that way."

There was a silence before it was disturbed by my shaky voice, "Why did it have to be them?"

Will turned me around and gathered me up in a giant bear hug, "Oh Ella. I don't know."

I sobbed into his shirt and before long I could feel his tears on my neck, "I don't know."

We both sunk down onto the window seat and just sat there silently comforting each other as we cried for hours.

It was dark outside when William slowly broke apart from me, "Lets go downstairs. Mom, Dad, and I have something to discuss with you."

I numbly agreed and he led me downstairs and into the living room where Mom and Dad were already seated. I again took my seat on the couch with Will beside me.

Dad ran his hand through his blond hair then began speaking first, "Eleanor," he never uses my full name, "Will has brought to our attention that you are no longer safe here."

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

Will took up the conversation, "That you would be safer elsewhere. Clancy has shown his true colors. He's a Communist and we all should have seen it but we didn't."

"Safer elsewhere." I echoed numbly. "Where is elsewhere?"

"The Florida Keys. Your boat leaves tonight at 11:00." Dad stated.

I slowly began to realize what they were saying. They wanted to send me away. "I'm not going." I said firmly. "I don't want to leave you behind." my eyes began to water.

Mom immediately shushed Will and Dad, and jumped up from her seat to give me a hug, "Oh Honey. You're not leaving us behind." She pulled back and wiped my tears away with her thumb, her own tears leaving wet trails down her face, "You are going to live, to fight another day."

She rose from the couch and pulled me up with her, "Come on. I'll help you get your things packed."

I followed behind her to my room where she busied herself while I picked up the photo of my siblings and me, and my parent's photo and put them into a pocket in my suitcase.

Mom handed me a shirt and a pair of jeans, "Go and change. I'l take care of everything here."

I nodded and took the clothes into the bathroom in the hall. Once I had changed I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was red and blotchy from crying. I hardly ever wore makeup so there wasn't any eyeliner to smear when I quickly wiped away the remaining tears out of my eyes and off of my cheeks.

Mom had picked my favorite shirt for me. It was white with blue and purple cherry blossoms, the dark green leaves showing here and there balanced the design and made it uniform.

She had also picked out my best fitting jeans. They were normal so I'll spare you the details.

I walked out of the bathroom without picking up my funeral clothes from the floor.

Immediately when entered my room Mom shoved my navy blue hoodie at me, "Wear this too, It's going to be cold tonight."

I put it on over my shirt as she finished zipping up my suitcase.

"Wait." I walked over to my book shelf and grabbed my journal, and stuffed it into the suitcase. She zipped it up and carried it off down stairs.

I glanced at the clock on my phone on the way down.

10:12 pm

Dad and William were both waiting for us when we came down the stairs. Mom put my bag down next to the couch and turned to me.

But before anything could be said the crunch of footsteps was heard from outside.

Will shushed us with a finger over his lips and walked to the window. His eyes quickly widened and he drew back. He looked at us with a panicked expression on his face, "Communists are surrounding the house. About five of them." He looked at Dad and then nodded.

He looked back at me and frantically whispered, "Ella, we need to leave right now."

I looked at him then at Mom and Dad. "Go. We'll distract them as long as we can." Dad said.

Mom rushed over and gave me a hug, "We'll see each other again."

Three loud bangs at the door followed by, "POLICE! OPEN YOUR DOOR IMMEDIATELY OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO KNOCK IT DOWN!"

Will immediately grabbed my arm and started to drag me down the hallway to the back entrance but I jerked out of his grasp and grabbed my journal out of my bag before running after him. Once we were next to the door he looked through the window to the left of the frame. I peeped after him and saw a guard just out side the patio.

Dad's voice and more yells came from the front of the house when the intruders broke down the door.

Will moved me back slightly then flung the door open, picked up a chair from the deck, and took out the guard with one swing.

He took hold of my hand and together we bolted for the woods. I heard gunfire behind me but I didn't dare to look back. I just kept running.

We heard our pursuit coming swiftly from behind, but I knew that they were no match for Will's knowledge of these woods. We swiftly wove in and out of the trees just like we used to do in what we called forest races.

When we came to the edge of the forest we soon found out that this wasn't just happening to us but to everyone else in the city. Dozens of homes were being ambushed and the families who defied the takeover were being arrested and taken away.

A shout came from one of the houses; we had been spotted again. Will took my hand and pulled me into a run once more. We jogged through back alleys and dodged bullets sent by the communist invaders.

We were almost to the docks now. I could see the ship I was to take about to lift the gang plank. The boat was filled to the brim with people. One of which saw us but couldn't stop the plank from being removed. Several people on the ship shouted at us to hurry. The ship was getting away from the shore so fast, yet so slow.

When we reached the dock, the shouts of the Communists weren't far behind us. Time seemed to slow down as William picked up my small frame and threw me to the ship where several hands reached out to pull me to safety.

Once firmly on the ship I stood and turned to look back at Will. He stood there tall and strong smiling waving goodbye to me, but I also saw the communist behind him take aim, and fire. Will fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"NO!" my anguished heart cried out. "No."

I realize now, that William could have saved himself from the bullets that were destined to take our lives, but he didn't.

I sank to my knees more in shock than I had ever been before.

"William, why you?"

I felt strong hands pick me up and carry me below deck and set me on a bed. Their presence went away and one by one everyone on board came below the deck to retire for the night.

"Terrible thing that happened just now." I heard one woman say.

"To lose someone close to you like that? Before your eyes? It's a real shame." another one said.

"Look at the poor girl. She looks so alone." a younger woman supplied.

"A terrible thing to go through." the first continued to say.

I lay down on my cot and tried my best to block out the gossip of the women, and slowly I fell into a broken slumber.

It felt like I had barely closed my eyes when I was suddenly awoken by a loud bang and then the sudden explosion of the side of the ship. Everyone started to panic and run up the stairs to the deck.

Water was rushing in the hull at alarming rates and another crash from the deck made the stairwell cave in. It was just myself and a few other people below deck now, which were desperately trying to find a way out.

I ran over to what used to be the stairway, and assessed the situation just like my brothers had always taught me to do.

"Hey! If enough of us lifted the fallen beam here most of us can get through." I yelled to the other people. They quickly agreed with my plan and three men took their place holding the beam up for the women to crawl through. Meanwhile, I pulled a loose board from the wreckage and propped the beam up so the men could crawl through next. When they were on the other side, I was fixing to go myself when a tiny cry came from further down the way.

I looked into the shadows and saw a child who had gotten his ankle stuck under a beam. He was crying and trying to get his foot free, and I could hear the anguished calls of his mother coming down from the deck.

That's when I made a decision that would change my life forever.

I ran to the child and lifted the beam off of his foot, then carried him to the stair well where I practically shoved him through the gap just before another bomb exploded all means of escape for me.

I stood back up from where the explosion had blown me back.

I stood there while the water quickly rose ever higher, looking at the first rays of the sunrise. Not moving; not crying, but excepting my fate.

The water is at my neck now. I can see the people still on deck trying to save me, but I know I can't be saved.

I pulled in my last breath as the water came above my head. My ears stopped up with water and my sight started to blacken.

The sun looked so beautiful now. It's filtered rays were shining on my face for the last time.

I closed my eyes and let out my breath.

So this is what is feels like, to be at peace.


	3. Strangers in a Distant Land

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any form of legal payment for this literary composition.

 _This is about the third time I've changed this chapter so I apologize for the constant going back and forth. Indecision is my middle name! REM indecision dream, that's me!_

.oOo.

Chapter II

Strangers in a Distant Land

 _Welcome to a world of new solutions._

 _Welcome to a world of bloody evolution._

~RWBY

.oOo.

Silence.

Emptiness.

Floating in a quiet peace.

And like shattered glass I was pulled from the water by two strong arms and dragged onto a boat.

On the deck I rolled off of my back and frantically coughed up the water in my lungs. My throat burned so much with every gasp I took.

The world seemed to spin as I sat up and brushed my drenched hair away from my face. A man was crouched in front of me. His face was kind, but my vision blurred his features. As my sight cleared I noticed he had dark brown eyes and a dark tan to his skin. His grey streaked, black hair was pulled back in a short, curly ponytail. He was also wearing strange clothes. They were earth toned for the most part except for a red scarf that was tied loosely around his neck. To sum it up, he was very medieval looking.

The first thought that came to mind once I had calmed myself was if one of the people on the barge really did save me from drowning, but that thought was quickly crushed when the man started to speak.

He was saying something to me but I couldn't understand a thing that came from his mouth. I tried talking but my words only came out as muffled squeaks. My throat hurt so much from the salty water.

The man quickly reached for a canister and uncorked the top to give me a drink of water. I tried pushing it away (you would to if you had just came back from the brink of drowning) but he insisted, and after a few sips I was able to speak.

"Who are you?" I asked hoarsely, wincing at the pain in my throat and nose.

He shook his head and said something I still couldn't understand. He leaned back for a moment before pointing to himself, "Kelvin."

' _Is he saying his name?_ ' I wondered.

He did the same motion again, "Kelvin." then pointed at me and said something else.

' _He's asking my name._ ' I pointed to him, "Kelvin."

He nodded then pointed back at me.

I pointed to myself, "Eleanor."

"Elanur." he said.

"Eleanor." I corrected.

"Elanor." he repeated.

I nodded then shivered as a wind blew across the small fishing boat. The man apon seeing me shutter, took off his coat and pulled it around my shaking shoulders with a kind smile.

"Thank you." I said as I pulled his coat closer. He nodded and turned to the hull of the boat where he began to draw in a small net almost full of fish.

I watched him as he dumped them into a wooden crate, then set about unfurling the sail to go back to land. As he began steering the boat to the mainland I looked around for the first time.

My eyes were drawn to the body of water that we were currently on. It was a very large lake, but not so large that I couldn't see the shore on all sides. It was a strange sight to see a desert on one end of the lake then turn around to see a lush forest at the other, and see mountains on all sides, but that was the nature of this place. Thankfully we were headed to the forest side. But that was just it, we were on a lake. And the last time I checked, I was out on the open ocean. Granted I could just be having a weird unconscious dream, but would my imagination really conjure up this? At least give me some good memories to live through, and not this confusion. But what if I got transported here for some reason, and all of this is real. Ugh! I really hate my brain sometimes.

So to tried to remedy the problem; I asked Kelvin where we were, if he knew of the USA, and even if he knew of Mickey Mouse, but it was useless. He didn't understand a thing that I said, and by the last question he looked rather grumpy so I let him be.

' _How could it be that he hadn't heard of America?!_ ' I thought, ' _Surely he would have heard of Micky Mouse by now! Or at least known of a big country that practically makes itself known all the time!'_ I sighed, ' _I suppose I'll just have to wait and see if I can find someone who knows English. Maybe I can get my bearings then._ '

I decided to go with that plan and waited sitting on the deck for what felt like an eternity before the boat pulled up to a primitive looking dock next to a small town. Kelvin hopped over the railing and tied off the boat.

I stood and stepped over after him still dripping wet, although, my hair was starting to dry into a fizzy and tangled mess.

I looked up the small incline to the town. As I said before it's really small. I'd say only about seven or nine houses from what I could see. They were all built out of wood that looked way to old to be safe. A lot of people were around and even some more fishermen were around the dock mending their nets or admiring their catch of the day. Many of the homes had livestock that some of the women were looking after. There were chickens, pigs, and the rare cow here and there in the fenced in areas behind the houses. The town was quaint, but primitive.

Kelvin finished tying the toe rope then gestured to me to follow him.

I hesitated, ' _Can I trust this man? Where is he going to take me?_ '

Kelvin turned around from where he had been walking and called for me and gestured again.

I sighed, ' _What other choice do I have?_ '

Several people stopped their work to stare at me as I followed Kelvin up the dirt road. Some had looks of sympathy others confusion, and still some looked very cautious and not in a good way.

We continued to walk for a few minutes before we came to a cottage somewhat in the middle of the town. When we got within twenty yards of the front door a woman I would assume to be in her late twenties, came rushing out to meet Kelvin and me. The former I assumed was her husband. She had long curly brown hair, and dark brown eyes. He skin was slightly paler than Kelvin's but still tanned. She was short but still taller than me and was fairly skinny. Chubby if you compared her to me though. Lewis would always call me little bird because I was always so skinny and never ate a lot. My heart sunk a little more at thinking about him.

While they were talking I noticed a girl hovering just inside the front door. She looked to be about fifteen or so. She was skinny like me, with long curly black hair. She had richly tanned skin and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a knee length dress with long sleeves, but she didn't have shoes on. ' _I suppose she's their daughter._ ' I thought.

She turned away from sight however, when Kelvin grabbed my attention back to him. He pointed at his wife, "Cardia."

I pointed at her, "Cardia." and he nodded. He then said a few more words then Cardia gently took hold of my arm and led me into the house while Kelvin walked back to the way we had come.

She led me into the house and set me on a low stool. She said something to her daughter and the latter hurriedly climbed up to the loft.

Cardia made herself busy and I awkwardly looked around while I waited. The house itself had one room on the floor and a ladder that led up to a loft of sorts where the girl had disappeared to. The kitchen, bedroom, and dining/living room were all conjoined with the stone fireplace in the center. It had a dirt floor and the stove in the kitchen looked fairly decent. All in all it was a very nice house.

Her daughter soon came down with a bundle of clothes. She walked over to me and held them out for me to take.

I stared at them not sure what to do. She said something and thrust the bundle at me again, but when I still didn't respond she put them on the table then proceeded to start to strip me of my wet clothes. I quickly twisted out of her grasp with a half yell, "Hey! I can dress myself if that's what you want me to do!"

She huffed and went about her business in another part of the room and started sweeping the dirt floor. When her back was turned I looked through the clothes she had given me.

It was a total of three items: a long sleeved dark brown dress, a chemise, and a pair of underwear. ' _This is all very strange._ ' I thought while I figured out how to put on the dress that she had given me. ' _Where in the world am I? I haven't recognized anything these people have said._ ' I sighed in frustration. ' _Dad said that I was going to the Florida Keys, but I couldn't have made it that far in one night. So where am I?_ '

The chill of my still wet clothes brought me back from my thoughts. I looked down at the clothes then at Cardia and the girl. After making sure they had their backs fully turned I took off my shoes and socks, my sweat shirt, my t-shirt, and my pants.

I looked down at the wet underclothes that I still had on. I don't want to get nude in front of people that I barely know, and yet I don't want to feel uncomfortable while they dry either. Plus what if the water leaked through the dress. ' _That would be unforgivably embarrassing._ ' I decided. So I pulled everything off, and as fast as I could slipped on the underpants that the girl had given me. I slipped on the chemise on first then pulled the scratchy dress over my head. I had barely just pulled my hair out of the dress when the girl turned around.

' _That was a close one._ ' I mentally sighed.

Once she saw that I had finished changing she walked over and picked up my clothing to hang it over the fire to dry but she suddenly froze when she saw my t-shirt. She exclaimed something to her mother, who came over and looked at the brightly colored shirt as well. They looked it over for a few minutes until Cardia finally hung it on the rack beside the fire. Where the girl still stared at it.

The expression on her face reminds me of the time I showed Michael my drawings for the first time.

Michael. Why you too. ' _No, shake it off. You have to move on._ ' I scolded myself.

I decided to at least try to talk to the girl. "Hello." I awkwardly said.

She gave me a puzzled stare and said something in that strange guttural language they all spoke in.

I then remembered the trick Kelvin used so I pointed to myself and said, "Eleanor." I then pointed at her, "What's your name?"

She caught on pretty quick and pointed to herself, "Darcy."

I smiled, "It's nice to meet you." and stuck out my hand for a handshake.

She looked at my hand in confusion so I just withdrew it and smoothed out the wrinkles in my dress instead. ' _When was the last time I actually wore a dress?_ ' I wondered, ' _I think it was Easter. Who would have thought that things would change so badly over just a few months? I wonder if things happened differently, if they would still be alive... No. Don't think about it. You need to find out where you are. I need to find Mom and Dad again._ '

Cardia's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and Darcy took hold of my hand and led me over to the table where she gave me a knife and laid a squash like vegetable in front of me. She mimicked the motion of slicing it and I cut a little off the end of it, then looked to her for recognition. She nodded and went to another part of the kitchen.

I really didn't know what to do at this point, so I just did what I was told, and after I finished that one she handed me another that didn't look like anything I had seen before. It was red with more peach fuzz on it than the normal fruit, or vegetable, I knew of. But I just continued to chop it up and every other one that Darcy handed me as well.

When there weren't any more to cut Darcy led me over to a pot where she told me to stir the soup in "sign" language. While I stirred she tossed in different ingredients, all the while telling me their names, and the words of the cooking tools. Which developed into me pointing at things and her telling me what they were, and apparently, the name of the mystery fruit/vegetable was Sokwappha, whatever that means.

It was about an hour later when supper was deemed ready. The sun had almost completely gone down over the horizon and Darcy set about lighting candles while I was given wooden dishes to set the table with. I put everything out onto the table like I would at home but when Darcy came over she not only switched the fork from the left to the right side but also moved all of the plates to the other side of the table. I stood there confused for about a minute before Kelvin came through the front door. He knocked off the dirt from his shoes and hung his coat by the door then walked over to the head of the table where he sat down. He was soon followed by Cardia then Darcy who motioned for me to sit in the chair beside her's.

Surprisingly the soup tasted ten times better than it looked. Maybe it's because I hadn't eaten in a while, I'm not sure, but it was about the best I had tasted in a while.

After supper Darcy set me to washing the dishes in water that was scorching hot. I was happy for the distraction though, because so many things were reminding me of my brothers.

Every time the people here would talk to each other I would imagine that they were talking about me. I must have looked dead inside because the family gave me sympathetic looks every so often.

When all of the chores had been done Darcy led me up the ladder to the loft where she handed me a night shift. I inwardly groaned, ' _How many times do I have to change in front of these people?_ ' (meaning Darcy in particular). I sighed and just decided to get it over with and quickly changed.

In the moments of my indecision, Darcy had made a bed for me on the opposite side of the attic than her's. When I had finished changing she pointed to it then lay down on her bed. I slowly walked over to my own and sat down on the edge. The mattress consisted of one cover on the floor and the sheet was just another cover on top. Both of which, were hand stitched.

I looked back at where Darcy was lying. She had turned her back to me. I noticed she had been giving me kind of the cold shoulder ever since a rather lively family debate at the dinner table. ' _Could she be upset that I'm in her personal space?_ ' I wondered, ' _Or could it be something completely different?_ '

I mentally sighed, ' _I wish I had my journal._ ' That thing has been with me for so long. It's filled with so many memories that I sketched down on the pages, and the inscriptions are filled with happy thoughts. ' _I could use some of that right now._ ' I snorted.

' _I wonder what would have happened if Lewis and Michael didn't go to DC. What if there was something that I could have done to save Will?'_ A silent tear slid down my cheek, ' _Mom, Dad, I miss you so much. Why did you have to leave me? Why?'_ I closed my eyes to the tears, ' _Please come find me. I don't know where I am.'_

 _'I don't want to be alone.'_

oOoOoOo

 _I am planning on creating a story that depicts the POV of other persons in this story. So be on the lookout for that. I won't tell you much but I will tell you that the first two chapters are going to be of how Lewis, Michael, and William die. Hope that wont be too morbid for you! Leave a review and tell me what you think._

 _Thank you for reading!_


	4. A Grief Too Hard to Bear

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any form of legal tinder from this story

.oOo.

Chapter III

A Grief Too Hard to Bear

Somebody make me feel alive,

and Shatter me.

~Lizzy Hale

.oOo.

The next morning I woke up to Darcy gently shaking me. Despite the fact that it was still pitch black outside, I got up very easily and was fully awake before I realized it. Which was weird because I'm impossible to get up in the morning.

Darcy climbed down the ladder to the ground floor while I changed into the dress from the previous day. Though, it was only when I was descending the latter that I realized the dress had a split up both sides of the dress. Presumably for easier running. But the problem was that it came up so far that the bottom hem of my underwear could be seen. It would be easily hidden by the folds of the skirt but I didn't want to be indecent, especially in a place I didn't know anything about. Having made my decision I grabbed my clothes off of the drying rack and apon seeing no one was in the house, except for Darcy, I started to change. But Darcy wouldn't have any of it so I just slipped on my pants under my dress. I certainly didn't want to anger the people that had taken me in.

I then took the rest of my clothes, my t-shirt and my sweatshirt, folded them, and tossed them back up into the loft along with my sneaker which Darcy would not let me wear at all.

After we ate breakfast Darcy took me by the hand and led me outside. She called out a greeting to her mother who was attending the garden, then picked up a basket full of dried herbs. She motioned me to follow her so I did. We walked through the dirt streets completely barefoot and soon came to a small market square. Darcy immediately went to one of the tables and set up shop. She meticulously set out her herbs then started to call out for customers.

At this point I had no idea what to do what so ever. So I began to wander around a bit in my boredom, and on my walk I realized that I was taller, or these people suddenly shrunk from yesterday's height. I also noticed that my sight and hearing had greatly improved, even though I already had twenty-twenty vision and near perfect hearing. If I concentrated I could literally hear every conversation in the square. Which, to be honest, was starting to give me a headache. So in that revelation I decided to walk down to the docks to relieve the pounding in my ears.

As I walked the sounds of the busy market quieted behind me, and my head ceased its slight throbbing.

Many people looked at me like they had done the day before but more in curiosity, although suspicion still veiled their eyes.

Trying my best to ignore the stares, I looked around and I came to realize that this village wasn't as small as I thought it was. But it's still considered small even compared to the small towns in America. It was quaint, but dirty and old.

I continued walking down the street and finally came to the lake. I must have come slightly to the side of the docks because there were no such structures here. Just a pebbly shore with clear water lapping at the bank.

I walked down onto the shore and looked out onto the lake. I could see almost everything from here.

' _But how am I able to?_ '

That question made me lower my eyes and as I did I saw a little gray leather bound book that had washed up on the shore.

I gasped in disbelief.

It was my journal!

I hurried over and snatched it up. Most of the pages were soaked but the pencil drawings and entries weren't smudged, and best of all the pencil was still in its place on the inside of the cover.

I smiled as I flipped through the pages, but stopped short when I came to where I had put the pictures of Mom and Dad, and Will, Lewis, and Michael. My heart fell and my smile faded as I saw their happy faces. The faces I will never see again.

I sank to the ground silently shedding tears. I closed the journal and held it tight to my chest. The blunt pebbles dug into my knees but I didn't care. I knelt there for what seemed like hours trying to force my emotions back into the bottle where I had crammed them before.

It was like this that Darcy found me. I heard her rushed steps as she ran over to me. I felt her hand as she laid it on my shoulder. I quickly wiped away my tears and stood, still clutching my leather bound treasure.

She asked me something, but I didn't understand. After I didn't respond she quit her fussing and led me back to the market where she sat me down on a crate behind her table.

I leaned against the wall and stared into space trying so hard to get my emotions under control. That feat took about a half an hour in the least, but once I trusted my voice to talk and not crack I left the journal on the crate stood and walked over to Darcy. I then started asking what things were called by pointing to them to get the rest of my emotions under control. I decided to focus on learning the new language instead of whimpering about my grief. ' _I can grieve later._ ' I reasoned. ' _I need to focus on what's important._ '

Darcy was happy to comply and told me everything that I could shake a finger at, quite literally. I focused so much on remembering everything she taught that I could speak simple sentences by the end of two hours. But now that I've thought of it, it's extremely disconcerting at how I learned so much in such a short time. Especially since my Spanish teacher implied that I was the butt of the class. Needless to say, Spanish hated my guts, but this language and I are connecting in so many ways.

I can tell Darcy thinks she's a really good teacher at how she never stops telling me things. I wondered how old she is, so I asked.

"How old you?" I pointed at her.

"Fifteen." she replied.

Fifteen? And running a stand? Not to mention taking care of an eighteen year old who has no idea what's going on. What kind of culture am I in right now?

"How old are you?" she asked while simultaneously correcting my speech.

I wasn't sure how to say eighteen so I held up all of my fingers first, then eight of them. She seemed to understand but looked a little confused. She said something afterwards, "Are you..." but I couldn't understand the last word.

"I do not understand." I said using the phrase she had taught me earlier.

She then pointed to her ring finger, "Are you..."

Married! She's asking if I'm married? I shook my head no and showed her my bare ring finger. She humphed with the confused expression still on her face but quickly brushed it aside and turned to deal with a customer.

It was then that I noticed an elderly lady pushing her cart along, except the cart was stuck. I looked closer to see her trying to get the wheel out of a rut but failing every time. I looked around to see if anyone else was going to help her, but when no one did, I quickly left Darcy and walked over to her and tapped her shoulder, "I help you."

She looked at me suspiciously for a moment before nodding gratefully and stepping away from the cart. I then positioned myself behind it and lifted up the cart's two back wheels by the handles and pushed it out of the rut with little trouble at all.

The woman thanked me and bowed. I wasn't sure what to do so I said, "You are welcome." and bowed as well. She smiled at me and continued on her way.

I walked back to Darcy's stand to find her smiling at me. "You did a good thing." she said simply.

I smiled back, "I did what I thought was right." and she nodded.

Soon after I realized that the people were looking at me with kind eyes instead of suspicion. Darcy's customers would smile at me and so would passersby; I in turn, smiled back at them.

I stayed with Darcy at the stand until the afternoon came in where we packed up shop and walked back to the house. There Darcy reorganized the left-over herbs in a small shed beside the house. She then took me out into an orchard where we picked sokwappha, which was apparently a fruit, until our baskets were filled. Back at the house she stored the fruit in the same building as the herbs and took me inside where I helped make supper.

All throughout the day I had held onto my journal. Now sitting on my bed made of hay, I looked at its cover as it lay in my lap.

"What is that?" Darcy asked from across the loft.

I didn't know how to say journal so I motioned her to come over and showed her one of my favorite drawings, "I made this." It was kind of a self portrait in a way but I thought it looked nothing like me, although, Michael would say different.

I didn't hear Darcy's exclamation of awe in my saddened state. It was only when she pulled out my brothers' picture that I snapped out of my trance and quickly took the picture from her and closed the book around it. I subconsciously hugged it to my chest and stared at the floor in front of me.

I could tell she was a little hurt by my actions, but it quickly wore off. She smiled at me and patted my shoulder before returning to her bed. She said good night and blew out her candle after I replied.

I heard her lay down and after a few minutes her breathing slowed as she fell asleep. After I was sure she was asleep I slowly began to relax my hold on the journal and ran my hand over the smooth leather.

I felt the stinging threat of tears in my eyes as I thought of my brothers, ' _If only I had done something. They would still be alive._ ' I felt a wet tear slide down my cheek, 'Why did this have to happen? Why did they have to die? Why didn't I do anything to stop it? It's my fault they're dead.' I laid down on the bed and hugged the journal once more, ' _It's all my fault. I could have done something, but I didn't._ '

' _It's all my fault._ ' my mind chanted as I fell asleep. But as I fell into the embrace of darkness it began to morph into something different.

"It's all your fault." I heard William say.

I opened my eyes and saw him standing in front of me. His face was dripping with blood from his bullet wound. He stared at me with dead eyes as I looked back up in utter fear and sadness.

"This is your fault. You could have warned me! You could have saved me, but you didn't." he said while looming closer. His face became angry, "Why didn't you save me?"

"I don't know!" I cried back, "I'm sorry!"

"You're sorry?" Lewis and Michael appeared from behind William, both had inflamed burns on their faces and arms. "I spoke to you over the phone. You had the perfect chance to warn me! And yet you didn't. Yeah, you should be sorry."

"Why, Ella?" Michael said, "I thought you loved us. Why did you betray us like that?"

I fell to my knees and sobbed into my hands, "I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" was all that I could muster up to say.

I felt William shaking my shoulders, "You're selfish! You ran away and left us to die. You're no better than the Communists that took our country."

"Elanor! Elanor!" I heard Darcy say.

I sat up in bed in a cold sweat and sat there with tears still streaming down my face while Darcy tried to get me to calm down.

"Elanor, what happened?" she said concerned.

I looked out the window and saw that it was morning again.

She asked me again and I pushed her hands away with a, "I am alright."

I then looked at my journal which was lying beside my bed.

"No, you are not." Darcy persisted.

I picked up the journal and shoved it under my bed. I don't need it reminding me of the past. I don't need my clothes reminding me either, so out of sight they went.

I turned away from the bed and began to change into my dress and pants. When I had changed I was about to go down the ladder when Darcy stopped me, "Elanor..."

But I didn't give her a chance to finish, "Leave me alone, Darcy." I said before brushing her hand away from my shoulder again. I climbed down the ladder and waited for Darcy to join me.

She sighed and came down and helped me make breakfast. We then went out to the market except this time she had me carry a basket of the sokwappha that we had picked the day before.

The day came and went much like yesterday. I helped her with the stand then we went out into the field and picked fruit, came back to the house, ate supper, and went to bed.

I didn't have another nightmare for which I was grateful but no matter how much I tossed and turned I still felt the uncomfortable bulge of my journal beneath me.

This cycle continued for a few more days and my mental stability increasingly got worse. Just a few days later i was hardly talking to anyone even though I had almost fully perfected the language by then. I would always just smile and wave, but behind those fake emotions I felt dead inside. A part of me knew what I was doing to myself but I didn't know how to fix it. Even my health began to decline dramatically. The nightmares, though not as bad as the first still haunted my dreams on a regular basis.

And my clothes. The single most depressing thing that I had were taunting me from their place in the loft. My journal was safe as long as I couldn't see it but I had no where to hide my clothes from sight. I thought that if I was gong to get over my past they needed to go, or at least the t-shirt which William had given to me. So one after noon while Darcy's back was turned I took the shirt and almost successfully threw it into the kitchen furnace. Darcy had turned around at the exact moment when I let it go.

Seeing what i was doing she snatched it out of the air and faced me, "What are you doing?"

"I'm burning my shirt." I said while trying to retrieve it from her, which was fruitless.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I don't like it." I said as I stopped trying to get it back. She raised her eyebrow at me wanting a better explanation. I sighed, "I want to get rid of it because it reminds me of my past."

She snorted, "Well you shouldn't just burn perfectly good clothing. I'll tell you what I'll do if you really want to get rid of it." She smoothed the shirt out on the table before folding it, "I have to go back into the market this afternoon with some fruit for a customer who couldn't be there this morning. I can take this tunic and sell it for you to the merchants that are passing through. It'll be out of your sight and you'll get something out of it too."

I thought about it, "Why can't I sell it?"

She smiled, "Because you haven't yet perfected your bargaining skills. I can get it at a higher price than you."

I shrugged, "Alright."

"Now you stay here with supper and I'll be back in a few minutes. Mother should come home before I do so don't worry about a thing." she patted my shoulder and headed out of the front door my shirt in hand.

' _Good riddance_.' I though of the shirt.

I turned back to the soup on the stove and began stirring it, ' _Why is it always soup?_ '

Cardia came in soon after Darcy left just like she said, and helped me with the soup.

Conversation was limited between us. She would just ask for things and I would go and get them, but this time it was different.

We were awkwardly standing in front of the soup pot when she suddenly said, "You know you can tell us anything."

I looked at her confused and yet knowing exactly what she meant, "I don't know what you mean."

"I've seen how you act. You're hiding your grief. Of whom or what I don't know, but you can't bottle up your emotions. You'll only get worse. I know from experience." Cardia is in no way a soft woman and to hear her say something so kindly was a slight shock.

But I remained silent about her words.

And just like that she snapped out of her kindness, "Ignore me then. If you want to do yourself harm then go right ahead. Supper's ready. Go out and call Kelvin and see if Darcy is back yet."

I did what she asked and immediately met Darcy as i went out the front door. She walked past me and hurried up to the loft with a small cloth pouch firmly clasped in her hand. I shrugged her off and fetched Kelvin who was working out in the garden beside the house.

Supper was quiet like it always was and I helped clean dishes afterwards just like I always did, but as soon as we were finished Darcy grabbed onto my hand and nearly pulled me all the way up the ladder to the loft.

I rushed after her and when I finally got to the top and sat down on my bed she thrust the pouch into my lap. She then put a finger to her lips, "Be quiet when you open it."

I did as she said and one silver piece and five coppers slid out of the bag and onto my lap. It was money I knew that but I wasn't sure how much it actually was/ I looked up at Darcy who was beside herself with excitement.

She looked at me with a grin on her face, "I went up to the merchant and he said it was the finest tunic that he'd ever seen. He was only going to give me ten coppers but I saw how much he wanted for it and raised the price from that to a silver and five coppers! I've never held so much money in my life!" she frantically whispered then grew serious, "But you can't tell anyone that you have it. That would make you a target. Not even Mother and Father."

"Ok..." I said as I put the coins back in the pouch and hid it under the edge of the mattress, "How much are they worth?"

She gasped in disbelief then whisper yelled, "How much are they worth! They could buy enough food for a family of three to last them for almost half a year!"

"Oh..." I said.

"What are you going to do with it?" she tilted her head.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Well in any case you should get some sleep. I noticed you've been dragging a little lately." she said concerned.

I smiled as I got up to change, "I'll be fine."

"I hope so." she whispered.

' _Me too._ ' I thought.

After we both changed we got into bed and I fell asleep to the nightmares that had plagued me for the past week now.

I knew I wasn't fine. But I wasn't about to admit it. At least not yet.

The next day ran like normal except I was feeling more depressed than usual. I didn't even try to mask my emotions. I was so tired of the nightmares, tired of my life, tired of everything.

A thought began to run through my mind all day long. 'Why did my country have to be taken over? Why did those stupid Communists have to do this to me.' In truth I hated them. By the afternoon I was so angry at my country, the Communists, and even my brothers for what I had gone through.

Darcy and I were picking fruit when she noticed my sudden change in mood. She set down her basket and faced me, "What's wrong, Elanor?"

"Nothing. I'm fined." I said through gritted teeth.

"No, you're not!" she said before jerking me around to face her.

I knocked off her arms, my temper flaring, "I said I'm fine! Leave me alone! I don't need you mothering me! You're not helping at all." As soon as I said it I could tell that I had hurt her. The shock of seeing her face fall jerked me out of my anger.

I dropped my basket and put my head in my hands, "Darcy, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't want to be mad at you. You've been so kind to me. I'm sorry."

But she didn't have any mercy on me what so ever, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed, "If you're really sorry, you'll tell me what's wrong."

I began to cry into my hands and she immediately guided me down to sit on the ground beside her.

She rubbed my back and toned down her voice, "You can tell me anything. You know that right?"

I nodded in my tears then removed my hands and stared at the ground.

"Take all the time you need." she said softly.

I took a shuttering breath and decided to get it over with, "My country was split up by war. And my brothers were all killed." I choked up, "I saw William get shot right in front of me. My parents sent me away to find a better life, but all I want are my brothers. It's my fault they died, but I didn't do anything to save them. It's my fault..."

Darcy cut me off, "No it's not. So quit saying it is."

I looked at her through my tears, "And what do you know?"

"Plenty." came her frowning answer. "War has plagued this land for years. My own brother was drafted into the army. The last time I saw him was over five years ago."

I lowered my eyes but she continued, "I don't know if he's alive or dead and that kills me every day. But I have to move on with life. If I see him one more time or if I never see his freckled face in this life again, is well with me." She pulled my face up by my chin and I saw her tear stained eyes, "Believe me when I tell you, I know exactly what you're going through. The important thing we need to do is keep smiling, because that's exactly what my brother wants for me and your brothers want the same for you."

"But how can I just let them go?" I cried.

"You'll never let them go as long as you hold their memory. But what you need to do right now is accept that they are gone and move on with your life."

I put my head into my hands, "I can't. It hurts too much!"

I felt her arms wrap around me and I relaxed into her hold, "I know. I know. But it's going to be alright. Just let it all out."

That afternoon in the small orchard I told her everything and she just held me there not interrupting just holding me and giving me exactly what I needed. What I had missed for so long.

Love and compassion.

After I had cried myself out I felt like I had relieved a load off of my shoulders and I felt happier than I had in days. My grief still weighed on my shoulders but it no longer was dragging me through the depths of despair. We returned to the house late but when Cardia saw that I was better she quit her fussing. I laughed more that night than I had in a while and with the help of Darcy, even had the courage to tell Kelvin and Cardia what had happened to me. They were sympathetic but grateful that I had confided in them.

After supper I went up to the loft and lay down to sleep, and for the first night in what seemed like a thousand years, my dreams were calm and placid. That night instead of seeing the haunting image of William's death playing over and over in my head, I was lying in a field of grass with a sea of stars above. I sighed a smile as a cool spring breeze drifted over my face. I closed my eyes in peace and faintly heard a whispered verse floating in the air.

Where once was darkness  
There will be light  
Where once was weakness  
There will be might  
A new nation will be raised  
And the traitor shall be praised.

oOoOoOo

Really long chapter this time but i didn't want to split it up into two parts so you're welcome. i hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!

P.S. The new POVs book of this story is out. I's called "A New Point of View" and you can find it on my profile. I hope you enjoy it!


	5. Mysterious Discoveries

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any money from this story.

Eleanor's thoughts are _italicized._

.oOo.

Chapter IV

Mysterious Discoveries

Here we are. Don't turn away now.

We are the warriors that built this town.

~Imagine Dragons

.oOo.

It had been a week and a half since I left home when I learned the full new language from Darcy. The language itself was called Braric and the town was called Denholm. The people here call themselves Eastrons. Which when I heard that word, I felt a string sensation of deja vu. ' _I know I've heard that before, but where?_ '

Over the worst of my grief, I finally gathered up enough courage to take out my journal again. I flipped through the pages and admired my past work as I sat in the loft and showed Darcy my favorite ones.

"Who are they?" Darcy pointed to the two pictures on the next page.

I felt a twinge in my heart as I took out my brothers' photo, "These are my brothers."

She smiled as I let her hold the picture, "What were they like?" she asked innocently.

I smiled myself, "Funny,... protective, and... brave." I pointed to William, "That's William. He's the eldest and the most serious. And there's Lewis. He always knew how to make me laugh. Michael is there. We always get into fights about logical matters."

"And who are they?" she pointed to my parent's photo.

"Those are my parents."

Darcy grinned, "Your mother looks so beautiful. I can see where you got your looks from."

"Who? My father?" I smiled back.

She laughed, "No! You're mother!"

I laughed along with her, "Thank you. By the way, you look beautiful as well."

She giggled and gently set my pictures back onto the sketch book.

"What is your brother like?" I suddenly asked after a moment of silence.

"Well... his name is Adelmo. He's very serious and looks tough on the outside but once you get past that, he is very caring of others. He didn't want to leave here because of that. He knew without him the town would have one less man to protect the people and especially me. He's very protective." she blushed.

I smiled, "So were my brothers." I internally winced at my use of past tense but I forged ahead.

I turned my focus back to her, "I hope I get to meet him."

She smiled, "Me too."

That night I decided to document my stay here, however long it was, by drawing the events as they happened. So in light of my resolution I took my book to the market the next morning and began to sketch the square, the buildings, even the people. This carried on for another two days and over that time I had taken up five pages of drawings and journal entries. There was still more than half of the book left though, so I had plenty of room to spare.

At the end of two days I had run out of things to draw, but on the third day I had an all together new subject to sketch. Darcy and I had just arrived in the market when I noticed a new table had been set up and all around it were tall men fully cloaked in midnight blue with dark blue scarves that were covering the lower half of their face. Their eyes were a mixture of either sky blue and silver, or dark blue and purple.

I leaned over to Darcy, "Who are they?"

She looked at where I was pointing but quickly turned away and swatted down my hand.

I tried to gain her attention again, "So...?"

She leaned in close to me and whispered, "They come here every now and then, and stay for a few days at a time. They sell mostly weapons and jewelry which the nobles enjoy. We don't really know a lot about them, but I've heard a rumor that they are Darali."

"Darali?" I asked.

She nodded but quickly looked around before speaking, "We think they live in the forest up that way, but no one has been brave enough to enter there for a while now."

"Why?" I questioned leaning in closer.

"People who've entered there have gone missing. They say that if you go in; you never come back out. That's why it's called the Dead Wood."

"Miss?" a smooth voice from above made both of us jerk around in surprise. My heart immediately leaped into my throat and my stomach dropped below my feet at the sight of one of the "Darali" standing directly in front of our table.

"Y...yes...?" Darcy stammered at the man.

I saw his eye brow twitch slightly, "I would like some of your sage."

"Um... Right." she forced a shaky smile as she gave him her sage and received her payment.

I, of course, was still in shock. ' _I didn't even hear him walk up._ ' I wondered

As he was turning away he looked at me and I saw the tiniest glint of humor in his eyes. That alone broke me out of my suspicion and I smiled at him. He seemed to smile back and continued back to his table.

After a few moments of debating with myself I finally decided to walk over and talk to them. ' _What could go wrong?_ ' So I began to walk their way when Darcy snagged my arm, "What are you doing?" she said in a rushed whisper.

"I'm going over to talk to them." I explained.

"No! You can't!" She pulled me back behind the table, "We don't know anything about them."

I rolled my eyes, "Well then that's the perfect reason to talk to them to begin with."

"Elanor, please?" she pleaded, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

I sighed, "Alright. I'll stay. Just for you." I smiled. She smiled in return and went back to work and I decided that if I couldn't talk to them I'd study them instead. So I took my journal out of the inside pocket of my dress, which I had made with the help of Darcy, and sat down on a wooden crate to the right of Darcy's table.

I sat there for a while and sketched the mysterious travelers for hours. Every now and then the one that had bought sage would look over at me with the same twinkle in his dark blue eyes. I drew him in particular and I think he knew that I did.

Soon after I was happy with my sketch, I helped Darcy clean off the table and carry the leftover herbs back to the house. I cast one last look towards the stranger's way then walked out feeling the man's eyes follow me out of the square.

Once we organized everything again back at the house Cardia sent us out to the edge of the forest to pick the blueberries that grew in the shade of the ancient oak trees.

It wasn't long before Darcy had her basket completely full; partially because she didn't keep eating her's. She offered to help me with mine but I declined. I needed some time alone, "No, I'll be fine. You can go on ahead and take your's home. I won't be long."

She nodded and cast a nervous glance to the woods, "Alright. Just be careful."

I smiled, "I will."

I continued picking berries once I saw her disappear over the hill, but stopped my task when a figure caught my eye.

There entering the forest a few yards away, was the man from the market. His feet made no sound as he melted into the shadows of the trees. ' _Why is he going in there? What even is in those woods?_ ' I mentally questioned.

Even though I had nagging caution at the back of my mind, curiosity won over in the end. I waited for a few minutes to make sure he had gone on far enough to where he wouldn't hear me, and leaving my basket behind, I snuck out from my hiding place in the bushes, and walked into the forest.

It took a little bit of time before my eyes adjusted to the change of light but when they did I was met with the beauties of nature. Nowhere felt quite like this place. It almost felt, magical. Like someone powerful used to live here.

Among the tree trunks I found the ruins of an ancient path. Letting my curiosity lead me, I followed it for a little while before coming to a massive ruin of white stone.

The mansion looked like it was intertwined with nature even in its current state of decay. Huge green vines stretched across the statues of long lost people, and the trees' branches cast cool shadows across the pale rock.

I came to the entrance and slipped inside; up the stairs into the house.

The ceiling had fallen through and vines were stretching down into the main hall. But what caught my attention most was the piano off to the side of the room. It was white like mother of pearl and sat under a ledge along with some other instruments.

I walked over to it and played a scale. I winced, "Out of tune." I then lifted the lid and saw the years of dust that had piled up inside and on the strings, "It probably hasn't been tuned in years." I said to myself, "Or played for that matter."

I replaced the lid on the piano then continued my exploring of the palace or whatever it was. I walked out of the main hall and into the next room directly to the back of the hall. In it stood two white chairs on a raised platform. ' _I wonder if a king and queen used to sit there._ ' I thought as I ran my hand across the intricate carving on one of the chairs.

I then continued my tour around the mansion and I eventually ended back at the great hall with the piano. I slowly brushed my fingers across the ivory keys. ' _Finally something good to remind me of home._ ' I thought when I sat at the white bench and started playing Mozart's Melody of Love. Most of the keys were dreadfully out of tune, but by this time I didn't care much.

It was just a few minutes before the song finished and the forest was once again quiet except for the occasional twitter of a bird in the tree tops.

I sighed as I stood and resolved to come back the next day. This place was calming to me, and goodness knows I needed somewhere to relax. But right now I needed to go back to the house so Darcy wouldn't worry.

As I walked out the front gate I looked back at the mansion and smiled. Who knew something so old and decrepit would give me so much peace.

Once out of the forest I grabbed my half full basket and picked a few more berries then headed back to Darcy's house.

"Where have you been?" she questioned me as I walked through the front door.

I grinned and pulled her to the side when Cardia left the house for an ingredient for supper, "I went into the forest."

Darcy's eyes widened in shock, "What?" she exclaimed right before her mother returned and left again. After a few moments she leaned over to me in curiosity, "What did you find?"

"There were these old ruins in there. It was almost magical." I explained quickly.

"Wow." she wondered.

I smiled mischievously, "Do you want to come with me tomorrow?"

She thought about it for a moment but almost immediately said, "No. I don't want to go there. And neither should you!"

I laughed as she returned to the stew, "Why not?"

"Because...," she stuttered, "who knows what could be in there! The Darali might kidnap you."

"Aw I could handle them." I smirked. "Didn't I tell you my brothers taught me seventeen different types of kung fu?" I said while moving my hands in awkward chopping motions.

"What is kung fu?" she asked extremely confused.

I chuckled, "Don't worry about it."

She sighed, "Well, it's not like I can stop you. Just be careful."

I nudged her shoulder, "I will. I promise." I then helped put supper on the table as Cardia came in and announced it was done. As usual I helped clean the dishes after supper then climbed up into the loft with Darcy to sleep the night.

After she went to sleep I pulled out my sketches to view the Darali that I had drawn. ' _Who is he?_ ' I wondered, ' _And why would he be interested in the forest if everyone else is afraid to go there?_ '

Something about him intrigued me so much. I knew I had to speak to him tomorrow. I just had to get around Darcy.

The next day I set about the plan I had made the night before. I walked with Darcy to the market and helped her set up shop. I then sat behind her and pulled out my sketch book to draw my surroundings once again. Every now and then I would cast a glance over to where the supposed Derali were stationed and every time the same man would catch my eye.

Thinking that I had waited long enough to ward off any suspicion from Darcy, I stood and started to walk around the square. In my wanderings I noticed that the Derali weren't the only new people in the square today. Traveling mercenaries were in and about looking for supplies they needed to get to the capital of the East, as Darcy called it. Forgetting about the Darali completely, I opened my book and sketched them as I leaned back against a wooden post. They were shady men with yellow hollowed out skin; greasy, strait black hair, and eyes the color of coal. They were all dressed in black coats with strips of scarlet cloth tied to their waists and around their right wrists.

I noticed one of them walk over to Darcy's table before I felt a slight tugging on the hem of my dress and a tiny voice calling out to me, "Missy. Missy." I looked down to see a girl about six years old looking up at me. I smiled at her, "Yes? Did you need something?"

She let go of my dress and twiddled her toe into the dirt road, "No. The man over there wanted me to give this to you." She pulled her hand into my view and revealed a tiny wild flower clenched tightly in her outstretched fist. I reached out for it and she handed it over.

I grinned at her gift, "Thank you so much! I love it."

She beamed back at me, "You're welcome!" then scampered away to her mother.

I placed the flower in my sketch book then looked to where she had pointed.

My eyes widened when I met eyes with the Darali I had drawn the day before. He was walking back to his stand across the way and passed me on his way. He revealed a piece of paper to me and me only then slipped it into a crack between the boards of a cottage. I narrowed my eyes at his retreating form and walked over to the wall when he disappeared from my view. I pulled the paper from the crack and opened it up to reveal a poem of sorts.

 _"Forever singing_

 _Old songs are ringing_

 _Rejoice with every note_

 _Ethereal voices promote_

 _Show your good skill_

 _Today to thrill"_

I stared in confusion at the words before me, ' _What could this possibly mean?_ '

"Elanor!" I heard Darcy call out to me from across the way. ' _Time to leave._ ' I surmised.

I walked over to where she had already packed up her things and helped her carry them back to her house. Once there I turned to her, "I'm going to go pick some more berries. I noticed a patch of them that weren't quite ripe yesterday but they should be good today."

She narrowed her eyes at me knowing fully well where I was really going but she gave me a basket anyway, "Alright. Just be careful, please."

I smiled, "You worry too much."

She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. I sighed a laugh, "I promise I'll be careful."

"You had better be." she then smiled and walked inside the house while I strolled down the path to the forests edge.

Once there I walked into the forest and immediately found the road that led to the ruins and walked into the house. I turned the corner to the ball room and immediately saw that the piano had been dusted off and polished. I set my basket down on the floor and strolled over to the instrument. I played a scale and not one note was sour.

"Someone tuned it." I wondered aloud then remembered the poem. ' _Could he have done this?_ ' I thought.

I turned around to look into the underbrush through the gaping holes in the crumbling walls. No one was there, but I felt the urging of someone for me to play a song. Not wanting to refuse, I turned back around and sat at the bench. I took a deep breath before beginning the Butterfly Waltz. I closed my eyes and let the sound fill my soul as the notes flowed from my fingertips. I felt myself smile as I played through the second measure, but before I knew it the song was finished and I leaned back; my fingers dropped from the keys and my foot came off of the sustaining petal. I sighed one last smile as I stood from the bench and picked up my book and carefully ripped a section of a page out of the back. I laid it on the piano back but suddenly stopped.

I don't know how to write in Braric. ' _Then how was I able to read it?_ ' my confused mind asked. I then pulled open my book again and pulled out the note.

The note... the note he gave me is written in English.

My mouth dropped open in sudden shock then in happiness. "I... I found someone who speaks English!" I laughed in joy.

I looked back at the blank piece of paper I had torn from my sketch book and quickly wrote a thank you to the Darali and stuck it between the piano and the piano cover. I grinned as I skipped over to my basket and ran out of the palace.

I'm finally going home.

oOoOoOo

If you'd like to see who the Darali are, look on my profile under "Behind the Names", but don't do that if you don't like spoilers. You have been warned.


	6. One Step Forward & Two Steps Back

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn anything from the writing of this story. I do not own lotr, only my "OC"s.

.oOo.

Chapter V

One Step Forward & Two Steps Back

 _Strange how the mind can hold onto an idea as a truth,_

 _while in fact, it's just a roadblock,_

 _keeping you from moving forward._

~Renate Vullings

.oOo.

"Darcy! I found someone that speaks my language!" I exclaimed as I ran through the front door of her house to find the whole family was gathered in the kitchen.

"Really? Who?" She eagerly questioned.

"One of the Darali. He wrote me a note in English!" her face immediately fell along with both of her parents', "I have to go talk to him."

"That won't be possible, Elanor." Kelvin stated sympathetically.

My brows scrunched together in confusion, "Why?"

He sighed, "The Darali only stay for two days at a time."

"But I can find them. If they left today they couldn't have gotten far." I supplied.

He stood from his seat and began a brisk walk out of the house, "No one knows where they go and I am not going to lead a search party into that forest to find out." He stopped by my side and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, "The best thing you can do is wait. They should be back within a month."

"A month! I can't wait that long!" I whirled to face him as he stepped out of the house.

"I have spoken." he said before shutting the door in my face.

"Well, there's nothing you can do now, so you might as well sit down and eat your supper." I heard Cardia say after a moment in silence.

My soul was totally crushed, ' _A whole month? I can't wait that long!_ ' I felt like my heart had been shattered all over again. Any ounce of hope I had left drifted away from my mind. Who knows what could happen in a month? Mom and Dad might be gone by then!

"Elanor?" Cardia's gentle hand on my shoulder broke me out of my thoughts, "You need to eat."

I brushed it off and walked over to the ladder, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry." I quickly climbed into the loft and stayed there lying on my bed, staring at the wall and clutching my journal to my chest. Darcy had climbed into the loft soon after me but didn't say a word; only cast a sympathizing glance my way. Kelvin came back shortly after and spoke in hushed words to his wife before settling down for the night.

It was in the quietness of the midnight hour when all but slow breathing could be heard, that I made my choice. I had overstayed my welcome here, and now I had no reason to stay. The Darali couldn't be that far off since they just left. I needed to know my parents were safe. 'I need to go.'

So I quietly gathered up all of my stuff and bound it up in my hoodie. I cast one last lingering glance at Darcy's sleeping form before climbing down to the main floor where I slipped on my socks and shoes. I looked behind the ladder to see the sleeping forms of Darcy's parents. I quietly sighed and turned towards the door but stopped short when I remembered the pouch of coins I had placed in my pocket. ' _These people have done so much for me._ ' I reasoned, ' _Why not leave them a parting gift._ ' I smiled as I left the entire pouch of money on the kitchen table, and snuck out through the front door.

I shouldered my makeshift pack and started down the field path to the forest. The stars glistened above and the moon was full and bright so I had no need of any lantern. It wasn't long before I found myself at the forest's edge. I took a deep breath, shifted my pack a bit, and stepped into the shadows of the ancient trees. I decided to start my search first at the old ruin since that was the last place the Darali might have been.

I found the old road fairly easily and followed it to the ruins where I quickly began seeing an approaching light. It was the light of a campfire.

Hoping against hope that it was the Darali, I began to jog towards the light but quickly halted in my steps when I heard rough and calloused voices coming from inside the main hall. I knew that the Darali's voice was deep and smooth, and that's what frightened me most, the people in the castle were not the Darali. There was no telling who was in that ruin and I had just ran within a hundred yards of it. I quickly hid behind a tree when I saw the shadow of a figure stand and start moving around the room. He then sat down in a different place and the chatting resumed as normal.

Moving against my gut and letting my curiosity take over, I decided to venture closer and quietly made my way up the stairs and behind a large piece of unfallen wall beside the entrance. I peek around the side to get a good view of the men in the hall. There were six of them in total, and I felt a sinking dread start to grow in my stomach when I realized that these were the mercenaries from town. Their fire cast ominous shadows across their faces and lit up the white walls in orange and red. My hands grew hot and sweaty as I realized my mistake.

Knowing that if I stayed any longer I would eventually be seen, and who knows what they would do to me if they caught me, so I slipped away from the wall and started down the stairs but when I turned I saw two approaching figures coming through the front gate of the mansion. I immediately ducked behind a large boulder and prayed that I wouldn't be seen. As they passed I noticed that one man was upright while the other was held from behind with a large dagger at his throat. When he entered within the circle of the fires light a man in the hall exclaimed, "Well look what you've found!"

I stood from my crouching position and walked back behind the wall as quietly as possible. I looked around the corner to see the man forced onto his knees with the blade still under his chin as his hands were bound behind him. A mercenary in the group strung his bow and place an arrow on the string, pulling at the string in a silent warning.

My eyes widened and my heart began to beat faster as I recognized the captive to be the Darali that I had been searching for. Another mercenary who showed himself to be their leader ordered his hood to be removed. One of his men obliged and long glossy silver locks fell out of the Darali's hood when it was forced from his head. My jaw dropped in complete shock when the leader pulled out his sword and used it to brush aside the hair from his prisoner's ear revealing its pointy structure.

He smirked, "Just as I thought. A Darali." he shifted the sword tip and rested it under the Derali's chin, "My my. Won't the Master be happy with you." I barely registered his voice nor the Darali's sneer. My mind was trying to make sense of the situation, ' _An elf. He's an elf. Elves aren't real. How can this be? Are his ears a product of some sort of surgery? That has to be it. But how does he look so perfect? He doesn't look young, and he doesn't look old. He doesn't hardly look human._ '

I was jerked out of my thoughts however when I was jumped from behind. An arm wrapped around my waist and a hand clamped over my mouth. I was easily lifted off the ground and thrown into the hall next to the Darali. Pain shot through my shoulder and down from my head straight to the soles of my feet upon impact with the stone floor; the wind was completely knocked out of my lungs. As I tried to regain my bearings I heard laughing from above.

"Looks like we've had a big haul tonight!" someone said.

"And what a beautiful one at that." their leader said as he lifted my chin with his hand. When I saw the intent in his eyes I wanted to puke but I only had enough wind to jerk my face away from his touch.

"Feisty are we?" he chuckled before he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to my feet. I saw the Darali being dragged over to the side and tied to the piano before I felt the warm and sour breath of my captor brush over my neck, "We'll soon break that out of you." The whisper alone was enough to shake me out of my stupor to the realization of the situation. I immediately pushed out against his chest and managed to shove him a good bit away. I quickly lowered myself into a defense stance and raised my fists out of instinct.

They laughed at me, "Well isn't this cute. She wants to fight." Then their leader smirked while cracking his knuckles, "Well, beautiful, what are you waiting for? Come on." but I knew that would be a mistake I couldn't afford to make. It's true that he doesn't know my fighting style but I don't know his either. My stature is small so he could easily overpower me, and without the element of surprise I would never have a chance against any of them, let alone all of them at once. After that split second I knew there was only one thing that I could do. I looked at the Darali and tried to show as much apology as possible through my gaze then turned on my heel and ran. I heard the outraged shouts follow me as I fled down the stairs and onto the forest, but I kept running until their voices faded all together.

I stopped and leaned back against a tree. ' _Breath._ ' I chanted to myself, ' _In through the nose, out through the mouth._ ' But my breathing stopped along with my heart when I heard a voice call out softly from a short distance away, "I know where you are. You might as well show yourself now and save us all the trouble of having to drag you back."

My blood ran cold and I covered my mouth to silence my breathing which had become shallow and fast when I heard a twig snap to my right. Another mercenary was standing about tent feet away from me, but the one on my left was slowly getting closer.

He got within four feet from the tree I was hiding behind as I looked around in panic for anything I might use as a weapon. Luck found me in the way of a thick branch lying to my right. I silently wrapped my hand around the makeshift club and waited for the man on my left to come within three feet before I revealed myself and dealt him a heavy blow to the temple. I gripped the branch tighter and ran as silently as I could to a new hiding place several yards away from the tree as the others came to investigate the sound of my unconscious victim falling to the ground. I knelt behind a bush and watched as the others came to the sound only to find one of their own out cold on the forest floor. Only five had shown up so I assumed that the other two had stayed back to guard the Darali. My mind went back to him, ' _I can't just leave him there._ ' I thought. ' _Elf look-alike or not, I have to do something._ ' I numbly resolved.

With the plan of attacking the guards by surprise, I left the confused and angered mercenaries, and crept my way back to the mansion. Just as I had surmised, two of the men were stationed by the Darali. They were both armed and looking out at the forest. Thinking fast I picked up a rock and threw it as far away from my hiding place as possible then hid while one of the two rushed out after the decoy. After he was out of sight I turned back to see the other mercenary had his back to me. Completely unaware of my movements the man continued to look into the woods on the opposite side of the entrance. From his position on the floor, the Darali immediately saw me creep out of my hiding place, tree branch in hand, and tiptoe up behind the guard. I reached back and swung the branch as hard as I could at the back of his head but he saw me out of corner of his eye and blocked the club with his hand. He immediately twisted the branch out of my grasp and grabbed me by the collar and held his dagger to my throat. I was quick to retaliate, however, and hit him between the legs. He let go of my neck and the knife slipped from his fingers as he collapsed to the ground shouting curses at me. I ran forward and grabbed the dagger from the ground then rushed over to the Darali and cut his bonds.

I barely got his hands untied before he took the dagger from me and blocked the slash from a sword the now recovered guard was wielding. The Darali shoved me behind him and I could only look on in horror as he parried the sword once more, twisted in, and stabbed his opponent in the stomach. Images of William flashed back to life in my mind and I stumbled back as the mercenary collapsed to the ground where his life's blood flowed out of his stomach and stained the white tile.

The Darali turned back to me with a wild look in his eyes, "You foolish girl! Why did you come back?" I looked at him and his expression softened when he saw my fear, but that did not console me as the victim's blood dripped off of the dagger the Darali had gripped in his hand. I looked from him to the lifeless body then back to him. The memories of the night of Will's death coming back more clearly than ever. A tear slipped down my cheek as I tried to speak, "Y... you... killed..." I choked and putting a hand over my mouth, stepped back from him. He tried to come near me but I turned and ran down the steps and into the forest ignoring his shouts for me to stop and wait.

I didn't stop. I ran. I ran, even though my lungs were screaming at me to stop; to rest. My cheek stung as a hanging briar tore my skin. My legs felt like they were on fire, but I had to get away.

I had to get away from him.

That murderer.

That monster.

I soon burst out of the trees and collapsed onto the ground sobbing. I hugged my arms to my chest and rocked back and forth as I tried to regain control of my mind, ' _This can't be happening. He just killed someone! Why did I ever think I could trust him? I don't even know his name. He had pointy ears; he didn't look human, and yet, he did. He looked like an elf, but he can't be one! Derali. What does that even mean? Why did this have to happen to me? Why did Mom and Dad send me away?_ ' "Why?" I cried into my hands.

It took me several minutes before I calmed myself enough to sit up and look around. The forest behind me was quiet except the occasional tweet of an early bird. The tall grass gave me a little comfort because it was high enough to cover the lower half of my face; shielding me from unfriendly eyes. I looked up at the night sky praying for an answer to my confusion, but as I searched he heavens I realized that no constellation that I knew of were in the sky. I had studied astronomy in school during the tenth grade and even before that I had read every book that I could find on the subject of the heavens. I knew every constellation on sight by name and star, but I still couldn't find a single one. Even the full moon had lost his smiling face.

A cold stone of dread formed in the depths of my gut as I began putting together the clues that suddenly flooded my mind. The Eastrons, Braric, the Elf, and the missing constellations all pointed to one solution. A solution that I refused to accept. How could I have not seen it before? The Sea of Rhun had been mentioned in the town and elvish script was carved into the walls of the ruins of the forest, but my subconscious, hopeful mind refused to accept the solution. Now the proof was there; lying before me.

I looked up to stars once more where my vision soon faded to black as I fainted from shock.

My last thought shook me to the core, ' _I've gone insane._ '


	7. Seeing the Truth

**_AU_** : So... long time no see. Heh. Sorry about that. School hit me like a ton of bricks. Anyway! I'm here now. So I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. I am not dropping this story. I have so much planned out it could be made into a three parter movie! In other words, I've come too far to turn back now! XD So buckle up and enjoy the ride!

 **DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any money from this literary composition. The property of Lotr does not belong to me (even though I wish it did) The only thing I own are my OCs.

.oOo.

Seeing the Truth

 _Within my ancient heart dwells, madness and pride._

 _Can no one hear my cry?_

 _~Fire Emblem Fates_

 _._ oOo.

Lying in a black void... with nothing but my thoughts around me.

 _'Insane.'_

 _'I am insane.'_

 _'I've lost it.'_

 _'My grief has broken me.'_

 _'No.'_

 _'That cannot be it.'_

 _'It has to be something else.'_

 _'A dream?'_

 _'Yes!'_

 _'This is a dream.'_

 _'It has to be.'_

 _'It will all go away once I open my eyes.'_

 _'Michael, Lewis, and William... they didn't really die.'_

 _'I'm in my bed asleep.'_

 _'All I have to do is open my eyes... and this nightmare will be over.'_

My eyes slid open and I found myself staring up at the ceiling of my room. The gentle blue walls embraced me in peace as I immediately sat up and looked around. Everything was accounted for. My sheet music was on the corner table, and my easel next to the window with a newly finished painting standing against it. My bookshelf was still overflowing with books, and my nightstand still held the two pictures of my family.

My family.

I stood and ran out of my room and jumped down the stairs where I nearly collided with my parents. Overwhelmed with joy I immediately hugged both of them, "Mom! Dad!"

"Well aren't you full of energy today." Dad said as he ruffled my hair.

I ducked out of his reach and back into the living room where I bumped into a firm figure, "Well where's my hug, sunshine?"

I whipped around and gasped in shock, "Lewis?" I looked around the room and saw my two other brothers standing a little behind him, "Michael? Will... William!" My face burst into a joyous grin as I launched myself at my siblings. Tears streamed down my face as I was accepted into their arms.

Lewis stepped away from the group hug first and looked at me with an amused smile, "What's wrong with you? We haven't been gone that long."

"Yes, you have!" I cried back.

"Aww." he said before giving me another hug. "Well come on you cry baby. Mom has breakfast ready! I hear it's pancakes today." he added in a whisper before letting me loose.

I happily complied as I walked back to the dining room. Will handed me a tissue which I thank him for before drying my eyes. I sat down at my place and mom began passing the plate of pancakes around the table. I finished my plate in record time and started to drag my brothers out the door.

"Why do I have to go?" Michael said as I tugged on his arm.

"Because..." I huffed, "we haven't played tag since Christmas!"

"But that's a kids game." he calmly said while resisting my pull without doing anything.

"You... still... are a kid!"

"Oh come on!" Lewis exclaimed before ramming Michael's back making him stumble forward and inadvertently making me fall backwards onto my backside.

"Ow! Lewis!" I yelled.

"What? I was helping!" he said while trying to hold in his laughter.

I glared at him as I quickly got up onto my feet to chase him out of the front door with Michael and Will following a little behind.

"Ella's it!" Lewis shouted at them while dodging my efforts to tag him.

Then as if on some sort of cue all three of my brothers ran into the forest surrounding our house. I, of course, immediately ran in after them but as soon as I stepped within the tree line everything changed. I halted when I lost track of Lewis and looked around. Nothing looked the same. Everything was drenched in shadow even though it was morning.

"Lewis?" I called into the shadows. "Michael? Will?" I yelled as I became increasingly unnerved.

I began cautiously walking through the forest, "Wh... where are you guys?" I said as I looked around trying to find something that was familiar.

"You're really scaring me. Where are you!" my voice was shaking now.

My steps became increasingly fast, "Lewis! Michael! William!"

I was running now; jumping over logs and ducking under low hanging limbs I searched for anything that might point me home.

I burst into a clearing and bent over with relief when I saw my brothers joking with each other. I stood upright and jogged over to them, "There you are! I thought I lost you..."

I froze in my steps as they turned to face me. My mouth went dry as Will spoke, "You did."

A soldier stepped out of the woods behind them, raised his gun and fired. "No no no!" my tortured mind screamed as my brothers collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"NO!" I cried from my sleep, sitting up to clutch my head in the agony of my grief. At that moment I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jerked around and was immediately filled with fear when I saw the Derali crouching beside me.

"Get away from me." I yelled as I launched myself up onto my feet and away from the murderer. Dizzy and disoriented, my back immediately hit the trunk of a tree and I gripped it hard to stable myself.

The silver haired Derali raised his hands in a sign of peace and made a hand signal to himself then to me, "Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you." He remained on the ground while I stayed silent on my feet a yard away. After a few moments of silence between us both he grew anxious and spoke again, "My name is Silvius. What is your name?" he asked timidly.

I opened my mouth but nothing came from my lips. Every fiber of my being was telling me to run and never look back, but out of shock I stayed rooted to the spot as strongly as the tree behind me. I swallowed and forced my voice to work, "Eleanor."

"Elanor." he said to himself before looking back at me in slight confusion, "Like the flower?"

My heart froze, 'The flower. Could he be talking about the one in Lothlorien? Is he a fan of Tolkien's work too? Is that why he has pointed ears and long hair?' My hold on the tree lessened as my mind, rattled from shock, honed in on what he had said to try and regain my grip on reality, "Do you mean the one in Lothlorien?"

His dark blue eyes lightened up as his face broke into a dazzling smile, "Yes! You know of the West?"

I nodded, not sure how to respond to his sudden happiness.

He grinned as he sprung up from his crouched position, "I knew you were different!" His actions startled me and I immediately broke out of my frozen state and retreated behind the tree. His smile faltered when he saw the fear return in my eyes.

"I am sorry." he said to me, "I did not mean to scare you."

A sudden question sprang into my head then, "Was it you that tuned the piano?"

"Yes." he smiled, "I got your note." he then added in English, "You welcome."

I narrowed my eyes at him, shocked but determined to keep my cool, "Where did you learn English?" He looked American but his speech was broken up and was very limited.

"Inglesh?" he said confused before continuing in Braric, "That language was... Westron."

'Westron? No. This can't be.' My mind was immediately thrown back to the conclusion of the night before, 'Insane. A dream. Reality. Which is it?' I couldn't be in Middle-earth. That's impossible. So it must be insanity that I am experiencing right now. What else could it be?

"Are you alright?" he asked with a concerned look.

I shook my head, "No." taking my first real look at the Derali before me. His features were perfect. His skin was pale and flawless; he seemed to glow with a light of his own, like he was radioactive. It wasn't natural. And his eyes, how in the world can a galaxy can fit around an iris? They were dark blue and purple with shards of clear blue. His hair was not just any dull silver, it shone like the stars. His clothes were light blue with silver embroidery, except for his midnight blue boots which were decorated with the same silver thread. My eyes rose back up his frame to his chest where I saw a brooch of silver. It was an intricate weaving of tendrils that reminded me of a Celtic knot. It had a single blue gem in the center but when I looked closer I saw that it was a blue, fire opal. From his high cheek bones and his pointed ears to the way he carried himself, every one of his features screamed Elf.

I shakily pointed a finger at him, forgetting to speak in Braric, "You... you're an elf... aren't you?" Luckily he understood and spoke back to me in English after tilting his head a little, "Yes. Yes, I am. Why you ask?"

The question had barely exited his mouth before I turned away from him mumbling to myself, "No, no, no, no. This can't be right. Elves aren't real. He must have had surgery to look like one! Yes, that's it. But that doesn't explain the Easterlings. No where in my world studies class have I ever heard of Easterlings except in Middle-earth. This can't be happening. I can't be in Middle-earth."

"But you are." Silvius stated from behind me in Braric.

I whirled around on him, "What did you... just say?"

He scrunched his eyebrows together as he repeated the sentence that put the final nail in my coffin, "You are in Middle-earth."

I stumbled backwards in shock, 'No.' my thought whispered. 'How did I get here? Why me?' "How will I ever get home?" I said aloud in my language as I felt Silvius lead me to sit beside the tree.

"Where your home?" he asked from my right.

I began to cry as I realized that he wouldn't know where it was, "Far away from here. You wouldn't know it."

"Name?" he pressed.

"America." I said in a choked sob.

He sighed, then continued in Braric, "You are right. I know not your home."

I bowed my head into my hands and I soon felt his hand of comfort on my shoulder, "Come."

I looked up at him with tears streaming down my face and saw him hold out his hand to me. I choked back my tears and hesitantly took his hand. He easily pulled me to my feet and led me back to his campsite where he picked up his cloak off the ground and placed it around my shoulders, "You look cold."

"I'm not actually cold..." I weakly protested as I started to remove his cloak but he cut me off and pulled the cloak back onto my shoulders. "You look cold." he repeated before grabbing a familiar looking pack off the ground and gesturing me to follow him.

'I guess elves don't like it when their hospitality is rejected.' I numbly thought as I walked after him through the forest.

We walked in silence for a while before coming up on the ancient ruin I had come to visit so often. I stopped in my tracks as memories of the past night flooded my mind. Silvius standing over the lifeless man with a bloody dagger in his elvish hand.

"Come, Elanor!" Silvius called cheerfully from the inner steps of the palace. 'This is my chance.' I thought to myself, 'He's far enough away now that I could run and possibly make it out of here without him catching me. But do I really have any need of fearing him?' I debated, 'He did save my life last night.

'By killing another person mind you'

'What if it was an accident? It was in self defense! Those men were fixing to kidnap us both.'

'But still, did it really warrant bloodshed?'

'Maybe, but what he did, saved us both. I can trust him.'

With my mind made up I continued my walk towards the ruins. When I stepped into the great hall I found Silvius at the piano playing a pretty song.

I immediately looked on the floor but saw no trace of the blood that was spilled the night before. A part of me sighed but the other wondered how there could be no trace left behind. Silvius saw me staring at the floor and quit playing to stand. He spoke to me in Braric, "I am sorry about what happened last night. Those men were soldiers of the evil one of the south."

"The evil one of the south?" I turned to him for confirmation, "Do you mean Sauron?-"

"Do not speak his name here!" he exclaimed wide eyed, "His spies roam every part of this earth, even my grandfathers' domain."

I looked at him confused, "Your grandfather's dominion?"

"Yes. They are the leaders of the Avari, as we are called by the elves of the West. Our king is Eol my grandfather's father." he informed.

"Whoa... How old are you?" I asked in my curious state, glad that the conversation distracted me from harsh reality.

He smiled, "One hundred and forty-eight"

"Wow. You're old." I stated bluntly.

He laughed, "You may think so, but to my elders I am still young and inexperienced. I have much to learn of the world still."

"Doesn't everyone?" I asked with a smile and raised brow.

He smiled, "I suppose so."

"Speaking of knowing things. How do you know Westron if you haven't been to the west?"

"Through my great grandfather's books. He has penned down many things including some of the Western tongue. I have learned all that he has put down, but since hearing you speak, I have learned there are many more words that I do not know. If you would be willing, would you teach me your toung?"

I smiled at his humble request, "Of course, but on one condition."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "I am listening."

"My condition is that you teach me your language in return." I stated, if I'm really here in Middle Earth I might as well enjoy myself before I wake up.

His eyes grew wide, "You want to learn Quenya?"

I smiled and nodded.

"But I thought humans weren't interested in the ways of elves." he said confused.

"Well, I don't know about the others but this human sure is interested!" I exclaimed.

"Good! When shall we begin?" he asked excitedly.

It was only then that I saw the sun had rose high into the sky, 'Darcy and her parents are going to be so worried! I should probably go back.'

"How about we meet here tomorrow afternoon? I need to get back to my friend. She's probably really worried right now." I told him.

He nodded in understanding, "I will see you then, lady Elanor." I gave a short laugh as he flourished a bow before me. I grinned as I curtsied back and said goodbye before turning away and walking down the path.

"Oh! Wait!" Silvius' voice made me halt in my steps as he jogged up to me, "You dropped this last night."

I gasped as I took it from him, "My pack! Thank you." I smiled up at him.

"You are welcome." he smiled before walking away into the woods.

I sighed another smiled before heading back to the small town I had come to know as my second home.

.oOo.

As I approached the house Cardia ran to me from the garden and enveloped me in a hard embrace, "Elanor! Oh we thought we lost you!" She pulled out of the hug and looked at me top to bottom, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" then embraced me again, "Don't you ever do this again! We were so grieved when we found you gone this morning. Where did you go? Why did you leave?"

She let me out of her grasp a little so I could speak, "I had to find the Derali, but I almost got kidnapped in the process. The Derali sav-"

"Elanor!" Kelvin's yell came from behind us, "Where have you been?" His face was filled with remorse.

"Those Derali tried to take Elanor away!" Cardia explained before I could.

Kelvin clenched his fist, "It's about time we take them down. You shouldn't have gone after them, Elanor! They are dangerous monsters."

I broke away from Cardia, "No no no! It wasn't them! They aren't dangerous. I was almost taken by the mercenaries from town but a Derali saved me."

Kelvin lowered his fist, "Is this true?"

"Do you think I would lie to you?"

"No. You have no reason to." he muttered. "But I'm having a hard time believing that the Derali would save anyone. They have done nothing in the past to show their honor."

"They have done nothing to condemn them either." I countered finding it ironic that I was now defending the same person that I had called a monster just the night before.

Kelvin gazed into my eyes for a long while after that statement. He seemed to notice something about me for the first time, and what that something was, I have no clue.

About that time I heard running coming from behind me and barely turned around in time before Darcy had engulfed me in a tear filled embrace, "Elanor! Please don't leave again!" Then in a choked whisper, "You didn't even say goodbye."

I hugged her back, "Darcy, I'm not leaving." I pulled back from her a little, "I mean... I was leaving before, but now... now I'm not. I'm sorry I worried you."

She wiped away her tears and smiled a little, "I'm just glad your back."

"Me too."


	8. Growing in Knowledge

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any money from this literary composition.

.oOo.

Chapter VII

Growing in Knowledge

 _"...my strength is made perfect in weakness."_

 _2 Corinthians 12:9_

.oOo.

That afternoon, I found out that Kelvin was actually the mayor of the town and he had several people out looking for me. I got a lot of shade when I told them about the Derali that saved me, but I knew that they have years of bias against the Avari and elves in general so I didn't let it bother me too much.

The ones who fully believed me were Darcy and the little girl who had given me the flower. Soon after the townsfolk dispersed the little girl's mother led her away and we; Darcy, Kelvin, Cardia, and I walked back into the house. While Kelvin and Cardia refrained from the subject, Darcy kept asking me about my experience with Silvius and only silenced her questions when Kelvin gave her "the look" at the dinner table.

After helping clean up, I retreated to the loft with Darcy and quickly changed to lay down on my bed.

"Elanor." I heard Darcy whisper.

Rolled over to face her, "Yes?"

She held out the pouch to me, "Here is your money. I found it on the table before my parents woke up."

"Keep it." I said refusing the money, "You and your parents need it more than I do."

"I can't-"

I cut her off with a raised hand and a smile, "Consider it a gift to repay your family for taking me in."

She smiled back as tears welled up in her eyes, "Thank you, Elanor. I'll tell mama and papa in the morning."

"Good night." I smiled.

"Good night, my friend." she whispered back before placing the coins in a safe location and blowing out the candle.

I rolled back over and heard her get into bed a fall swiftly into slumber but I was not so fortunate in my sleep. My thoughts kept me awake. Specifically one thought.

The night before I had been almost completely useless in my strength. My arms now burned from lifting the tree branch and casting force behind it to defeat the mercenaries, but even then I was too weak to do hardly anything. I was unable to fight against the man's strength even though I have had years of training in self defense, as he easily rendered me unarmed by twisting the branch out of my hands. I still managed to get away but I kind of cheated in the process.

All of these weeks, nearly a month without training and keeping up my strength really showed through last night. ' _I can't let that happen again._ ' I determinately thought, ' _Tomorrow I'm going to set things right and get my body back to the gymnastic, butt kicking machine that it used to be. If I'm really here in Middle-earth, I am not going to stand on the side lines and be the maiden in distress._ '

.oOo.

I awoke the next morning when the dawn had yet to be broken and changed into my pants and put on a loose under shirt that Darcy had lent to me. I crept out of the house, slipped on my shoes, and started my regular routine; the one Will had helped me make. First I started out with a warm-up of stretching and running in place to get my blood pumping before I started on push-ups. I did quite a few of those until my muscles screamed at me then began squats until my legs ached. I used the door frame of the small herb shed as a pull-up bar and managed to get out four and a half before I had to stop due to my arms being on fire with pain.

I collapsed on the ground and wiped away the sweat on my brow with a sleeve. I looked up in the sky and noted that the sun was just barely coming over the horizon. 'Plenty of time for some fighting practice.' I thought. I got up looking around for something to hit and found a bale of hay and some rope which I used to raise the hay off the ground. I looped the rope over a beam in the ceiling and tied it to the hay bale with an overhand knot. I would have secured it better if my knowledge of knots existed. Lewis was the one to call for that.

I did a couple of rounds with punches before a few front kicks and one or two roundhouse kicks with both legs. I was surprised to find that my knowledge of self defense hadn't totally been erased from my mind. In fact, it was like Will was there beside me; coaching me through each set. It gave me comfort in a way, to know that I have something to remember him by that would stay with me.

"Elanor!" I heard Darcy yell from behind me. I turned around and received yet another tear filled hug.

"I thought you left!" she cried.

"Good grief, Darcy!" I laughed in English and pulled away from her continuing in Braric, "I came out here to practice! I'm not leaving."

She nodded and choked back her tears, "I'm sorry. It's just that... you not only feel like my friend but... you are my sister too. I couldn't bear if I lost someone else like that."

I smiled sympathetically and hugged her again, "I understand." I pulled back then with a grin, "But let us not dwell on things that are not! I haven't left. So be happy!"

She gave a small laugh before asking, "You said before you came out here to practice. What is puzzling me is what you are practicing."

"The truth is that," I started to explain, "I only got out of that bad situation night before last because of luck and a helpful Derali. I used to be quite versatile in fighting and..." I paused for a moment to come up with a word for gymnastics, "jumping? But I haven't practiced in a while so my skill has lessened a lot. So, I need to get it back up to where it was and improve further if I'm going to stand a chance against... enemies."

"I see." she nodded.

After a moment she turned to me with a pleading expression, "Will you teach me?"

I scrunched my eyebrows, "Why?"

Her face dropped, "Well, because of the mercenaries. Do you remember the day before yesterday when they were in town?" I nodded and she continued, "Well, one of them grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let go, and I couldn't do anything about it. The only thing that saved me was one of his companions demanding that he come speak to them. That's why I made us leave so early. Elanor, I... don't want to feel helpless like that again."

My heart sunk, ' _This happened right in front of me. And I didn't even do anything about it!_ ' Then the anger and fury of a thousand suns filled my soul, ' _How dare they!_ ' If I got my hands on them now! I'd scatter their innards from here to Mordor! But I managed to keep all of rage inside my clenched fist while I held a smile on my lips, "Of course I'll teach you. You deserve to know how to defend yourself."

She smiled back and hugged me, "Thank you." She then released me form the hug with a jerk, "Oh! Mama has breakfast ready now."

I smiled with clenched teeth, "Alright, I'll meet you inside."

She nodded and skipped back to the house. I smiled until she disappeared behind the door and when I heard the door click shut I whirled around and kicked the hay bale so hard it jerked out of the knot and flew into the back of the shed. I seethed there for a while, and must have looked like a pacing predator as I walked back and forth imagining different ways in which I would have avenged Darcy if I would have payed attention that fateful day.

A few minutes later my anger was nearly all dispersed thanks to that satisfying kick and the seething afterward. I cooled off some more through calming my breathing before I walked back into the house for breakfast.

"So," began Kelvin after I sat at the table with a slice of bread and some milk, "Darcy tells me that you were practicing fighting this morning."

I nodded while taking a bight out of the bread. He continued with a question, "Who taught you?"

I swallowed the bread, "My brother Will. He... used to be in the army."

Kelvin nodded and let the conversation die while I finished off my breakfast. After thanking Cardia, Darcy and I started to walk out of the house but Kelvin called out to me, "Elanor."

I turned to him and he continued, "We don't accept charity." He slid the pouch of money across the table.

I raised a brow, "It is a gift to repay you for your kindness..., and where I am from, it is insulting to return a gift." I took hold of the pouch and slid it back to him.

He smiled, "Then I thank you."

"You are welcome." I nodded back before following Darcy out to the herb shed. Where we gathered up our supplies and began our journey to the market.

On the short trip down, I was suddenly regretting working out so vigorously. The only thing that didn't hurt was my face. Everything else, however, stung like the fires of Hades, but I forced myself on. If I wanted to get back into shape fast, it would be necessary to feel a little pain along the way. No pain no gain, after all.

When we entered the market square it seemed like everyone froze and started muttering to themselves and casting weird looks at me, but after a few moments everything returned to normal. I looked at Darcy and we shrugged it off as best as we could before setting up shop, but I couldn't help but eavesdrop one group's conversation.

"Did you hear? That girl is involved with the Derali." voice one said.

"I did! But really it's no surprise. She was odd to begin with, and her accent is strange as well." voice two replied.

A third voice chimed in, "Don't forget how she has her nose stuck in that silly book all the time. She should be out working instead of wasting her time with that foolishness."

' _Foolishness!_ ' I thought angrily, ' _Reading is the main foundation of learning anything!_ '

Darcy saw my face and placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Ignore them, Elanor."

I nodded and turned my head in another direction but everywhere I turned to, everyone was talking about the same thing. The Derali, mercenaries, and me!

Wait. A man to my right just said something.

I rushed over to him, "Excuse me sir. What did you just say?"

He turned to me grumpily, "I said that is sure is odd that none of the other mercenaries have shown up yet. You did say you only saw one of them being killed. We had all better hope they made it out alive or the Eastern Guard will come to investigate. If that happens, the only one who will take the blame is you. Now run off! I have better things to do than talk with a Derali sympathizer."

He turned away rudely but I didn't care. I numbly walked back over to Darcy's stand and sat down behind it in silent thought, ' _What did happen to the rest of the men? Did Silvius kill more of them than I thought he did? Why couldn't he just get away and leave them alone?_ ' I nearly slapped myself, ' _Dang my forgiving nature! They deserved it. They were going to kidnap us both!_ '

Then I sighed, ' _No, they didn't. Some of them might not have been as bad as the rest._ '

I straightened up, determined, ' _I will find out what happened that night, and I know just the elf who's going to tell me._ '

I then leaned back in confusion, ' _But what did the man mean when he said the Eastern Guard would come to investigate? Could they really be so bad that even the people they are protecting are afraid of them?_ '

I put my chin in my hand. ' _I can see why I would be blamed for this._ ' the thought of that sent a shiver of fear down my spine, but still, ' _How could a police force be so oppressive?_ ' I sighed again, ' _So many questions. So little time._ '


	9. A Lesson in Everything

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not own LotR. Enough said.

Eleanor's thoughts will be in _italics_.

P.S. I hid a Doctor Who reference in here. Let me know if you spotted it :D

.oOo.

Chapter VIII

A Lesson in Everything

 _Waves on the shore,_

 _Like the passage of time._

 _I always want more,_

 _Of what used to be mine._

~REMdream

.oOo.

After we gathered all of our herbs we walked the short distance home. Soon after we organized everything in the shed I picked up a basket and told Darcy that I was going to go "pick berries" and to cover for me. She was reluctant at first but after she figured out that I was going no matter what she did, she said that she would keep my secret.

I hugged her to show my thanks and called a hardy "See you later." as I walked down the path to the forest. I would have jogged but my legs were still hurting from the exercise I did that morning.

Walking through the fields, my mind was buzzing with questions like, ' _Where am I in the East?_ ' or, ' _What's the date?_ ' I certainly hope that it's after the war for the ring, but it wouldn't make sense because of the way Silvius spoke of the mercenaries. It was as if Sauron was still alive.

I humphed, ' _Well, I suppose I need to really stay out of the deceiver's radar. If he knew that I knew the outcome of this war, there's no telling what would happen._ '

Once I entered the forest, I made my way to the ruins. It was cool beneath the trees shadows, which was uncharacteristic for a summer afternoon but nothing that I would complain about.

I climbed the steps of the entrance and entered the crumbling hall setting down my basket beside the piano as I went. The sunlight filtered through the treetops above and fell on the stone floor in a dappled pattern. I sighed contentedly. No matter how many times I visited this place, the feeling of magic never got old.

I sat down on the bench and leaned back to look at the sky which was partially revealed through the crumbling roof. I stayed there for a few moments before I began humming to myself, and smiled at the memories it brought as my voice stopped to remember. My whole family were singers. My brothers, my parents, and even some of my grandparents. Both my mother and my grandmother sang in opera before they married and expected me to follow in their footsteps; even though, my voice was a significantly lower range than theirs. I snorted a laugh. Lewis could sing higher than me before I really started working on my voice. He was always upset about it. Said that it didn't feel right. I finally got to where I could sing one note higher than he could, and he was satisfied with that. It was something we would always joke about.

People would always say that we had our own personal choir and it was true for the most part. Lewis would sing soprano, I would sing alto, Michael tenner, and William would be bass. We would mess around all the time and make up songs on the fly. Those were fun times, but now... now I couldn't bring myself to sing the words. Not now. I hope I'll have the strength soon, but not today.

"You came!" the surprised voice of Silvius made me look down and to my right to see him standing beside a particularly large hole in the wall.

I tilted my head, "Why wouldn't I?"

He fidgeted with his sleeve, "You seemed frightened of me yesterday."

I got up from the bench, "Well yesterday was yesterday, and today isn't yesterday now is it?"

He smiled shyly, "I guess not."

We stood in silence for a few moments. I shifted my weight and he fidgeted with his sleeve again. ' _Oh good grief._ ' I thought, ' _Where do we even begin?_ '

"So..." I started, not liking awkward silences, "what's your favorite... color?"

He tilted his head at me, "My... favorite color? I haven't really thought of that before." He thought for a moment, "I suppose..." then sighed with an apologetic smile, "Maybe you should tell me yours first."

I smiled back, "Alright. My favorite is blue. My second favorite is red."

He tilted his head, "I like blue as well. And green. Lavender is beautiful as well." he thought aloud, and I laughed with him at his indecision.

After another moment of silence I spoke up again, "Do you suppose we can start on the Quenya lessons now?" He grinned and nodded, "What do you wish to know?"

"Um. How do you say Hello?"

He smirked, "Istan quetë ya merin, ar lá hanyuvatyen." (I can say what I wish, and you won't understand me.)

I blinked, "Could you say that slower?"

He laughed, "Don't worry. We shall start off with something less complicated."

"You were messing with me!" I exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you say?"

He laughed again, "I am sorry..."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "No you're not." which only made him laugh more.

I sighed, ' _Wow. This guy is jollier than Santa Clause._ '

He finally quieted and gestured to the piano bench, "Please sit so we can begin our lesson comfortably."

I did as he asked and he sat on a nearby piece of rubble, "Now, repeat after me. Alla."

"Alla." I repeated.

He smiled, "Good. That means hail."

I nodded and he went on with the lesson. Learning Quenya was definitely much harder than Braric. I suppose my brain is over saturated with languages as I am fluent in German and French, and I dabbled into Japanese and Korean a bit. I'm very good at languages, except for Spanish. I didn't like Spanish and Spanish did not like me.

Never the less, we practiced simple phrases in Quenya for about an hour before he said it was my turn to teach him English, or Westron; whatever it's called.

Since he already knew quite a bit, I held a conversation with him and defined words that he didn't know the meaning of, instead of starting with the basics. I even had a secret laugh of revenge when I got him to say 'comfy chairs'.

We went on like this for another hour before I announced the lesson over and we sat back in our seats to listen to the songbirds chirping in the treetops.

"Have you ever been to the West?" Silvius asked me in English.

I looked over to see a longing in his eyes as he gazed out at the blue horizon. I returned my eyes to the trees, "No." I replied, "But, I've heard many stories of it."

"Tell me." came his quiet demand.

"What do you want me to share?" I asked him.

He stood and walked toward the western side of the hall, "Tell me... of my people. The elves of the west. What are they like? Where do they live?"

"Why? Don't you know?"

He shook his head, "No. Ever since we, the Avari, refused Orome all those years ago, we have remained in the East as wanderers, scavengers... homeless." He sighed, "My people do not care for the elves of the west, nor do they desire to go west, but I... I do. I want to walk under the trees of Lothlorien and see my distant brothers and sisters. And the sea... Elanor, have you ever seen the sea before?" He turned to face me with a hopeful gaze.

I smiled, "Yes, I have."

"What did it look like?" he pleaded.

I stared off into the distance as I recalled the beaches of Georgia, "Beautiful. An endless blue and green tide, forever crashing and rolling onto the shore. The salty breeze running through your hair makes you feel like your flying high above the world." I looked back at Silvius to find him smiling back at the horizon, "It sounds perfect."

He then turned back to me suddenly, "Now tell me of the elves. Where do they live?"

"Well, there are three kingdoms. The Great Green Wood, Lothlorien, and Imladris. The Green Wood is ruled by Thranduil, the keepers of Lothlorien are Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel, and the lord of Imladris is Elrond Half-elven."

"What are they like?" he asked me as he sat back down on the boulder.

"Well, I can't really say because I haven't met them, but I've heard that they are very wise, and are full of joy." I might as well give him the good side of things.

He smiled before turning to me confused, "How do you know all of this if you have never been to the west?"

"I uh... read about the west in books that I found here and there." I stuttered.

"I see." he quietly said.

The sun was halfway down the sky by now; its rays starting to turn the clouds a brilliant golden yellow and pure white.

I remembered what the man in town said about the mercenaries and turned to Silvius, "What happened to the rest of those men?"

"The one's who attacked us?" he confirmed.

I nodded, and he, turning away, sighed.

I put two and two together, "They're dead. Aren't they?"

He gave a single nod then turned to me with a concerned expression a moment later, "Elanor, you must promise me this. Do you see the edge of the forest there?" He pointed out the way he came in. I nodded and he continued, "Don't go past that border."

"Why?" came my quiet question.

He sighed, "Because you are an Easterling, and my people would not see you left alive if you invaded our territory."

' _I am not an Easterling._ ' I thought before I sighed, ' _But I look like one._ '

A stone slowly sank into my stomach as he continued, "I can protect you here, but if you step across that line of trees, there will be nothing that I can do. I know that you are different. I can sense it in you, but they do not know you. You would not be safe."

"I see." I quietly said before thinking, ' _So Sauron hasn't been defeated yet? If he had I doubt the Avari would be this affronted by the Easterlings._ ' But that brought a question to my lips, "Silvius, what is today's date?"

"I believe it is July 12, 3018."

"What age?" I mumbled in shock. Don't be the third age please.

He thought a moment, "The third age I think."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, ' _Great. Just great. Not only am I in the East but I've got a whole war to worry about and or avoid. But I have a feeling the only thing I'll be avoiding is peace._ '

"Are you alright?" I heard Silvius ask.

I let my hand fall from my face, "Yeah. I'm just a little shaken up."

He cocked his head to the side in a silent question.

I sighed, "It's complicated."

He nodded and minutes of quiet passed by. For once in my life I embraced the laps in conversation and used the time to sort out my own thoughts, ' _Ok. So, if I'm at the beginning of the war I still have time to figure out everything and get home before things get crazy. I need to know where this place is in relation to everywhere else in Middle-earth._ ' I exhaled, ' _With my luck, I'll be smack dab between Mordor and the East. But how will I find out? Kelvin is the mayor of the town and he doesn't have any scrolls in his house. Of course, he could work out of another building but I doubt he would let me look at a map. So what are my other options? Sneaking a look? No, I don't even know if he has a map let alone where it is._ ' I pondered the thought for a little longer before a brilliant idea sprung in my mind.

"Hey Silvius, do you have a map of the surrounding area?"

"Yes, why?" he asked.

"I was thinking that if I knew where I was in relation to everything else, I could find my way home." I looked at him hoping that he would buy it. It wasn't the full truth but it did have some truth in it.

He smiled, "I shall have to show you one tomorrow then."

"Really?" I smiled back.

"Of course! If it will help you get home then I'll be happy to assist you."

"Thanks."

"You are very welcome."

I chuckled at his emphasis on 'very'. It was one of the new words he learned.

I looked back at the sky and noticed that the sun was low in the sky. I stood, "I had better get back before I'm missed."

He rose with me, "Of course. I will see you tomorrow?"

I jogged over to the stairs and waved, "Yeah, see you then!"

"Namarie." he smiled with a raised hand.

I turned and copied his gesture, "Namarie." smiled, and headed back down the path through the forest.

My mind went back to my family as I walked down beneath the trees. My brothers are gone, but my parents are still out there. ' _Maybe the map will point me home. If so, Mom, Dad, I'll see you soon. I can't just let you face the turmoil of our country alone. I don't care what the consequences are. I will see you again. I promise. I won't forget you._ '


	10. Questions and More Lessons

**DISCLAIMER** : I don't own anything but my OCs I make no money off of this literary work.

.oOo.

Chapter IX

Questions and More Lessons

 _Education is what remains_

 _after one has forgotten_

 _what one has learned in school._

~Albert Einstein

.oOo.

When I returned to the house I got a few suspicious looks from Cardia but they quickly faded when she saw the berries that I had picked. (On my way out of the forest I picked as many berries as I could as fast as I could to limit confrontation about my whereabouts.)

By the time I had put up them up in the shed Cardia called me in to help with supper. She soon went out to get some herbs from the garden and Darcy leaned over to me, "Was he there?"

I nodded, "Yes. Why?"

She shrugged, a gesture she learned from me, "I don't know. I suppose-" Cardia came back in then and we set back to our jobs.

After supper was over Darcy and I retreated into the loft where we bid each other a good night and quickly fell into the arms of sleep.

The next day was very much like the day before. I rose in the early twilight and trained down near the herb shed. This time however was far more difficult than yesterday. My muscles were sore but I pushed through. The only thing the pain did was strengthen my resolve. I needed to be strong in this war.

After I finished I went back inside the house grabbed a quick breakfast then traveled with Darcy back down to the market where we stayed until noon. We packed up and went back home dropping off the wares for that day and rearranging the herbs back in the shed.

I said goodbye to Darcy with a promise that I would begin her lessons in self defense that afternoon and continued on my way to the ruins.

As I ascended the steps into the hall I was surprised to see that Silvius was waiting for me. He smiled when he saw me and motioned for me to come to him.

He sat down on the stone floor and I sat beside him at his request before he pulled a scroll from his pack. He unfurled it onto the floor and weighted down the corners with a few rocks.

The map itself didn't cover a lot of area but it gave enough information for me to know that I was somewhere around the Sea of Rhun. Not the best place to be but far enough away from the fighting that I could probably relax in my exercise a bit.

Silvius pointed to the sea and confirmed my suspicions in Braric, "This is the Sea of Rhun." he then pointed to the East side of the sea to a little alcove then into the forest a ways and said, "This is where we are."

I nodded as I studied the map further. I noted that there was a fairly large island in the south west region of the sea. I pointed to it, "What is this?"

He grimaced, "I have heard that it is an island for prisoners of war. I know not the name."

"I see." Then noticing the great city on the mainland south west to the island I pointed to it, "What is the name of this place?"

"That is the city of Rhun. The Dark One's puppet Jaakobah, rules over the Easterlings there. I have heard that he is a terrible and evil ruler. Even his people speak things behind his back, and if they are caught, they are severely punished for their words."

I shook my head, "How could a ruler be like that? Doesn't he have any loyalty or love toward his subjects?"

"No." Silvius frowned, "He has been corrupted by darkness and his lust for power."

I frowned and nodded as I looked back at the map, my inner dialog typing away, ' _Nothing. Nothing whatsoever that points home! The sea doesn't even have an outlet to the ocean!_ ' I sighed, ' _Well, at least I know where I am now. Now the question is how the heck did I get here?_ '

"Do you see anywhere that looks familiar?" I heard Silvius ask politely.

I sighed again, "No. I didn't live anywhere near an inland sea. In fact I lived right next to a... bigger... sea." Yeah we'll go with that because I have no idea what the word for ocean is in Braric.

He nodded solemnly, "Do you think you were brought here by someone?"

I shook my head, "Not to my knowledge. I was fished out of the sea... here." I pointed to the little isthmus that led to town.

"Well, this is confusing."

I sat back, "You got that right, Sherlock."

He looked at me confused and I waved him off, "Don't worry about it."

"Ava sorya."

"What?"

he smiled, "Ava sorya. It is Quenya for don't worry."

I nodded and repeated the phrase, "Avah soriah"

He smiled, "Anwa." then laughed at my confused face, "Right."

"Ah." I nodded with a smile of my own and we then delved into the language of Quenya.

After he thought my pronunciation was good enough, he consented to letting me teach him English. I was immediately surprised at how much of yesterday's lesson he remembered. I commented on it and he gave a half-baked excuse that Elves were better learners and what not. I shrugged it off and continued the lesson which only went on for about thirty minutes before he knew practically all the words I could think of along with some slang terms.

Although I was delighted at finally being able to talk to someone in English, I was completely dumbfounded at his progress and asked him again what his secret was, but he just smirked and replied in a phrase he had just learned, "I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you." His words were hesitant because of his previous idea of the phrase's meaning but I laughed and joked with him anyway, "No! I'm too young to die!"

He laughed at my antics then sobered with a confused expression, "So your people really do throw insults and threats at each other like this all the time without meaning it?"

"Yup." I smiled. "Or maybe it's just my family." I thought aloud afterwards.

"I don't think I will ever understand Humans." he laughed nervously.

I lightly punched him in the arm, "Aw keep your spirits up. You'll get the hang of it some day!"

"I suppose I will." he smiled.

I then remembered my promise to Darcy and stood, "I have to go. I promised Darcy that I would be back early."

"Oh. Of course!" he rose with me, "Tomorrow then?"

I nodded, "Like always!" I hurried over to the stair case and yelled over my shoulder, "Numarie!" as I ran down the steps.

I heard his goodbye from the ruins before I vanished into the forest.

.oOo.

As I was walking through the fields I met Darcy and she handed me a basket, "Mother wants us to pick some Sokwappha." I took the basket and turned to walk along with her, "Alright."

I saw her frown out of the corner of my eye, "I suppose you won't be teaching me fighting today because of this."

"Of course I will!" I said shocked, "I made a promise didn't I? Besides, it'll be easier to teach you out in the fields than in front of the house anyway."

"Really?" she grinned.

I smiled back, "Yes."

She laughed, "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet, Darcy! This will be the first time I've tried teaching anyone martial arts."

"Well I think you'll do a terrific job." she smiled at me.

I gave her a bemused look before turning my gaze back on the pathway. We were almost to the fruit trees now. I just need to figure out when to start teaching her. We can't do it before we pick Sokwappha because we might take too long and if we train afterwards we might not have enough time. I thought about it some more and decided that we had better at least have our baskets half full before beginning the lesson.

So we set about picking fruit until our baskets were half full apon which I stopped Darcy and our lesson began. The first thing I taught her was how to get out of a wrist hold.

"I'm going to grab hold of your wrist and I want you to get out of my grasp as quickly as possible." I explained.

She nodded and stuck her arm out for me to grab. I took hold of it and she tried jerking out but couldn't. I let her go then told her what she was doing wrong and how to correct it. The second time I took her wrist she was able to twist out of my hold. I praised her and moved on to a choke hold. I taught her the lawn mower move to elbow her attacker and then how to throw them off her back. When she did the latter to me, I immediately felt the soreness of my own training come back with a vengeance when my back made contact with the ground.

I gave out a painful laugh that sounded like a groan from where I was sprawled out on the ground. Darcy's worried face was soon seen hovering above me, "Oh no! Elanor, are you alright? I'm so sorry!"

I chuckled as I sat up and stood, "Rule number one in fighting, Darcy. Don't apologize to the enemy. You're not Canadian."

She grew wide eyed, "Who are Canadian? Are they bad?"

I laughed, "No. They're actually really nice people."

"Oh." she said still confused, "Then why-"

"Don't question it." I interrupted.

She nodded and I announced the lesson over. I didn't think my poor body could have taken much more abuse. We finished filling our baskets of fruit and journeyed back to the house where we stowed away our harvest and walked back inside the house to help Cardea with supper.

.oOo.

The next few days were practically the same. Thankfully the town gossip had died down to a minimum so I was left to my own devices without suspicion once again.

Every day it would be the same. Do my exercises, go to the market with Darcy, visit Silvius to learn more of Quenya and to tell him more of the West, teach Darcy self defense, do some random chores, and help with supper. It was becoming quite a nice routine until one day when Silvius didn't show up at the ruins.

That day was the start of a change in my future that no one could predict.

* * *

 _Everything is picking up speed like a snowball rolling down the mountainside! I am so excited for the next chapter!_

 _I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving_ XD

~REM


	11. The Little Things

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any sort of compensation for this story. I don't own LotR.

.oOo.

Chapter X

The Little Things

 _The Doorway to a Country_

 _is through the heart of a child._

~Me

.oOo.

"So Darcy," I smiled, "would you like to go see Silvius with me?"

She halted mid reach for a herb with her mouth open and stuttering, "I... I don't know."

I nudged her arm as she continued placing the leftover herbs in the shed, "Oh come on. He doesn't bight..." she sighed in relief before I continued, "hard."

"Elanor!" she turned to me horrified.

I laughed, "I'm kidding! He's a really nice person."

Her shoulders sagged, "Well... I have been curious-"

"Then it's settled!" I put up the rest of the herbs and before she could protest, began pulling her down the road to the forest.

"Wait, Elanor! What if we get caught?!" she scrambled to find an excuse.

I smirked as I hooked my arm in hers, "Don't worry. I've done this a thousand times. We'll be just fine!"

"That doesn't mean that this time will be the one that you do mess up!" she said in exasperation before heaving a sigh, "Fine. But if something terrible happens it's your fault!"

I laughed at her choice of words. It seems that I've been rubbing off on her. Either that or she's feeling more relaxed around me. I gave a mental shrug, ' _I can figure it out later._ '

Once we entered the forest I let go of her arm and took her hand to lead her through the underbrush.

"I don't understand how you can enjoy walking through the woods." she said as she wrestled her skirt from a clump of briers.

I grinned, "It's a learned skill."

She raised an eyebrow at me. ' _Another thing from me that rubbed off on her._ ' I thought.

We trudged on for a few more minutes, Darcy grumbling about the bushes and fallen limbs tripping her up, and me quietly chuckling at her inefficiency at traversing through forests.

When I knew we were close to the ruins, I left her to run up the way a little and wait there for her to catch up. When she finally did I swept aside a low-hanging branch and revealed the mansion of white stone.

I grinned as Darcy's mouth dropped open, "I've... never seen anything like it before. It's so... big!"

I laughed, "Well, do you want to go inside or are you satisfied with the view?"

It was her turn to grin, "Inside please!"

At that I took her hand and we ran up the steps into the main hall. She uttered sounds of amazement as I sat down on the piano bench.

A few moments later she finally noticed the piano behind me.

"What's that?" she asked with a slightly tilted head.

"It's a piano."

"What does it do?" she said as she ran her fingers over the ivory keys.

I smiled as I turned around on the bench to look at the piano, "It makes music. Go ahead. Push one of the keys."

She gently pushed down an E minor and the sound resonated around the room. She drew back with a smile then turned to me, "Do you know how to play it?"

I smiled sheepishly, "A little. Not as good as my brother, Lewis, though."

"Show me!" she grinned.

I gave a short laugh, "Alright. Let's see. What should I play?"

"Play a... happy song. I think this place could use it." she said as she looked around at the crumbling walls.

I smiled, "I know just the one."

I stretched out my fingers before beginning to play All of Me by Jon Schmidt. An old song but one of my favorites.

Darcy sat down on a boulder a little away and smiled at the song that my fingers produced. I missed a lot of notes but I didn't think that she cared as she was looking at the instrument in pure wonder. I soon finished and she clapped, "That was amazing!"

I stood and bowed to my audience and she laughed, "Don't do that, Elanor! I'm not in a higher class."

"Ah! But what you don't know is that in my country, every girl is treated like a princess." I proclaimed before flourishing another bow.

She giggled as she rose, "Then you should have the same treatment!" she bowed from the waist and sprung back up laughing.

We sobered a moment later and I looked out to the woods, "I wonder where Silvius is."

Darcy looked at me confused, "What do you mean? I thought he met you here every day."

"That's what I thought too." I mumbled back before walking towards the closely wooded edge of the forest.

"Silvius?" I called softly into the woods.

No reply.

"I wonder what happened." I muttered.

"He's probably busy, Elanor." Darcy's voice came from behind me, "We should leave now anyway. I don't want mother to get worried."

"No. We can't leave." I stared into the trees with the feeling that someone was looking back at me, "Something is wrong."

I turned back to Darcy, "Go back home and if I'm not back by nightfall, tell Kelvin and Cardia that I've found a place that looks familiar and am checking it out."

She took hold of my arm, "You're not going over there are you?"

"No. I'm going to wait here and see if Silvius shows up. I need to find out what's going on. I can't explain it but there is an odd feeling in the air."

She nodded, "H-how do I get back?"

I smiled and led her through the hall and down the stairs, "Go down this path for about a hundred feet, then turn off to the right and go as straight as you can. That should get you back into the fields in a few minutes."

"Thank you. And Elanor," she looked at me pleadingly, "please come back."

I hugged her, "I promise I will. Now go."

She smiled, "Alright." before hurrying down the path.

I waved at her one last time before rushing back to the ruins and to the edge of Derali territory. I stood there and waited for what felt like hours listening and watching for anything, but Silvius never came. I was just about to turn around to head home when I heard what sounded like a whimper. It drifted in on the breeze and quickly faded into the air but I somehow still managed to hear it.

"Hello?" I called in Braric then in realization of my surroundings nearly slapped myself. I'm calling into the Avari's land in Braric. I shook my head before calling out again except this time in Quenya, "Alla."

At that moment there was another whimper this time it was closer and I was able to distinguish it's hiding place. A few yard over to my right huddled up in a bush was a young girl. I cautiously walked over to her and crouched down to her level. She was quite small, only looked about three or four years old. She had silvery-blond hair, pale skin, and bright blue eyes. But most surprising were her pointed ears. ' _She must have gotten lost, the poor girl._ ' I thought.

She flinched away when I held out my hand to her but I just smiled and tried my best at remembering my Quenya lessons, "Alla. Ava sorya." Oh shoot, what was the word for 'my name is'? Aha! "Nanye Elleanor."

I then saw something click in here eyes. She leaned forward with a cautiously hopeful gaze, "Elanor?"

I nodded.

A smiled began to grow on her face, "Na tye Elanor?" (You are Elanor?)

Even though I didn't exactly know what she said before my name, I nodded anyway.

She immediately rushed me and threw her arms around my waist only to burst into tears. She began rambling in Quenya with words and phrases that I didn't have the slightest clue of what they meant. I heard my name and Silvius' mentioned a bunch but hardly anything else.

Not knowing what else to do I started to rub her back and softly shush her, "Ava sorya. Ava sorya."

After a few moments she quieted and looked up at me with tear-stained cheeks, "Elanor, nira lde lindo linde?"

"Uhh..." I worked my mind to try and decode what she said but I couldn't figure out what she meant to save my life. So, I fell back on another phrase that Silvius taught me, I don't understand, "Ni va handa."

She thought for a minute then pointed at me, "Lde," then she sang a few notes, "lindo," and pointed to herself, "nin."

I nodded finally getting what she was saying. But what song could I sing her? I didn't know any in Quenya. ' _Why should I sing for her in the first place?_ '

I looked down at her and felt my resolve melt when I looked into her eyes. I nodded and she smiled but I held up my finger and not knowing how to say 'Come with me' gave a gesture for her to follow me. She did so without question, and I led her up into the ruins. I didn't want us to be next to the woods in case something was after the child. We needed to be on the defense should something happen. I sat down on the floor again and she snuggled up next to me. 'I hope Silvius comes soon.' I thought before I started to hum a tune.

She turned to me with a cute cross expression, "Lindo." (Sing.)

I chuckled and began to sing. It was a really old song from one of the first Barbie movies. You could say that my whole family were oldies but goodies when it came to entertainment.

Constant as the stars above

Always know that you are loved

And my love shining in you

Will help you make your dreams come true

With help you dreams come true

The lamb lies down and rests it's head

On it's mothers downy bed

Dolphins plays in the moonlights glow

And butterfly dreams of a violet rose

Dreams of a violet rose

I'll cradle you in my arms tonight

As sun embraces the moonlight

The clouds will carry us off tonight

Our dreams will run deep like the sea

Our dreams will run deep like the sea

Constant as the stars above

Always know that you are loved

And my love shining in you

Will help you make your dreams come true

With help you dreams come true

By the time the song was finished the little girl had drifted off in my arms, her eyes hanging half open half closed. ' _She must have been so tired. How far did she have to walk to get here?_ ' I thought in pity, as it was only mid late afternoon.

I then thought of my current predicament, ' _I have an elven child here with me. So that means that her people are missing her there._ ' I sat there silent for a moment before the realization hit me, ' _Oh crap. If they find me here with her I'm a goner for sure! They'll think I kidnapped her!_ ' I rolled my head back in a silent groan, ' _Silvius had better get here quick. Or I'm gonna be pushing up daises in spring.'_ I looked down at her again when I felt her shiver slightly. ' _But she needs to get home as quickly as possible. They couldn't execute me if I was bringing her back... could they?_ ' I shook my head, ' _If Silvius doesn't come back by twilight I'm going to take her back. She could freeze tonight._ ' It didn't make sense to me that she would be shivering when it was so warm outside, but then again, I have only read about and met adult elves. I had no idea what early childhood development was for elves, and that added to the urgency of getting this girl back to her people.

I sighed, ' _Lets just hope that Silvius comes back before I have to do anything. He will understand all of this... Hopefully._ '


	12. Accusations and Bittersweet Farewells

**DISCLAIMER** : I don't earn anything for writing this story except personal enjoyment.

AU: A lot of elvish is going to be used in this chapter. I thought about putting it in italics but I thought it would retain the mood better if I didn't. So, translations will come after the elvish in these ().

Please R&R (read&review) so that I can have some R&R (rest&relaxation). I love reading and responding to all of them ^-^

.oOo.

Chapter XI

Accusations and Bittersweet Farewells

 _Save what has been lost,_

 _Bring back what once was mine._

 _What once was mine._

~Rapunzel

.oOo.

So, it turns out that the elfling was only in need of a short power nap. Because in hardly five minutes she was up and prancing around all over the place like the big, cute ball of energy that she is.

Her name was Elveawen. A fitting name for the girl, as her eyes twinkled as bright as the stars. Not to mention her hair was like strands of silver and white-gold.

I wondered how she trusted me so quickly, ' _Could Silvius have told her about me? No. He wouldn't dare mention me to his people if they were as opposed to Easterlings as he said they were._ ' I smiled down at the small elf as she followed a butterfly here and there, ' _Then again, she is really innocent to the world._ '

I looked up to the horizon, ' _Only a few more hours until sunset. Come on Silvius! Where are you?_ '

I then turned around abruptly when I heard the piano being played. There sitting on the bench was Elveawen. Her feet were barely touching the floor and she had to lift up her arms quite a bit to play but she was happily pecking out notes that soon formed a tune which she began to sing to. A few moments later she stopped, I assume she forgot the rest of the song, and hopped off the bench to run to me. She led me over to he instrument and pointed to it.

"Linda."

' _She must want me to play her something._ ' I smiled and said ok before sitting down at the bench and playing her a little catchy tune that I learned in my first years of piano lessons.

I laughed merrily as she began dancing around the room to it and even began making up her own words to the music.

We stayed there playing and singing songs until twilight came. The last song ended and I looked behind me to see that the sun had nearly all but sunk beneath the horizon.

I sighed, ' _Well. It's now or never._ '

I called to Elveawen and began walking her towards the border of the Avari's land. I felt her shiver again and disassembled my hoodie so that I could wrap it around her. I placed my sketch book and pencil in a safe location nearby and we crossed my dead-line into her homeland.

As we navigated through the dense forest it became apparent that the girl was tiring with every step she took. The poor thing was tripping over everything in the path so I scooped her up in my arms and started to carry her. To my surprise, she wasn't as heavy as I thought she would be so I was able to carry her for a while before having to stop for a breather. I suppose I have my training to thank for that.

I set her down next to a tree and she immediately curled up happily in it's roots. I sat down beside her and leaned back on the tree. Almost immediately sleep came over me like a heavy cloud, and before I could fight against it, I became victim to it's spell.

oOoOoOo

I awoke sometime later with a jerk. I thought it was only a couple of minutes but I became painfully aware that it had been hours when I opened my eyes to near darkness.

There was a soft throbbing in my head that increased then diminished as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

The first thing that I noticed was that Elveawen was no longer beside me. I blindly jumped up calling out her name and was suddenly jerked back to the ground by something cold around my wrists. I held them up to my face and sure enough, my hands were in chains.

' _Wonderful._ ' I thought sarcastically as I finally noticed the cell door. ' _I'm in prison. The Avari found me and they threw me in here to rot._ '

I sighed, ' _Where is Silvius?_ '

I got up again and strained to see out the cell door window. All I could see was a darkly lit hallway.

"Hello?" I called out in Braric. After not getting an answer I decided to revert to Quenya, "Alla?"

Nothing.

"Silvius?!"

Still nothing.

I sighed and sat back down mumbling to myself in English, "Whelp. I suppose there's nothing to do but wait."

But I didn't have to wait long before I heard a key turn in the lock of my cell door. I stood as it opened to reveal a masked elf clad in dark blue leather armor. He silently walked over to me unchained my hands from the wall and led me out with a firm grasp on my upper arm. An unmasked guard, who looked of higher status, met us outside the cell, and he did not seem happy to see me.

He looked at me coldly, "You have been summoned by the king. Do not think of escaping, Easterling. You would be dead before you took the first step."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Excuse me, but my name is Eleanor." I mentally slapped myself, ' _Really? Why does your big mouth have to rear it's ugly head in the worst possible situations?! These people could kill you if they wanted to!_ '

He narrowed his dark purple eyes and got in my face with a low and dangerous tone, "Do not try my patience." He then turned, "Come. The king is waiting."

The guard who had my arm, let go of said arm and pushed me forward. With a sigh I began to walk between them.

We traveled for a little while before I figured out that we were in a cave. After a few more moments of walking we came to the mouth of the cave where my mouth would have detached from my face and dropped to the ground if it were physically possible.

The Avari's home was... amazing and so beautiful. Silver lights were hung in the trees and houses of golden wood were woven among the trunks of the great oaks who's strong branches sheltered them from the wind.

Another push from the soldier behind me kept me moving but I still gazed around at my surroundings in absolute wonder. Although, it wasn't long before I noticed that the other elves in the city were giving me cold and suspicious looks. I shrugged it off as best as I could but there was still that nagging thought in the back of my head that said, ' _Yeah. You're definitely going to meet your maker tonight._ '

I inwardly groaned when I saw that we were coming up on a throne. An anciently young elf sat apon it with his legs crossed and his purple blue robes flared out over his seat. A silver crown sat apon his head and a moonstone amulet lay clasped on his chest. He gazed apon me with a stare like pure ice. I couldn't help but flinch away from his eyes when I tried to hold his stare.

I was then pushed to the ground and forced to kneel before him by my two escorts. I tried to raise my head but it was only pushed down again.

' _Oh boy, am I in deep trouble right now._ ' I inwardly freaked out, ' _What in the world am I going to say to this guy?_ '

"Tell me your name." his voice sent a shiver down my spine. Even when speaking Braric, it was deep and smooth; filled with discernment and coldness.

I struggled to get my voice to work but I forced it to, "Eleanor. Eleanor Rose."

"That is not a name of the East." there was surprise and caution in his tone but there was still the coldness from before, "Where did you come by such a title?"

I took a deep breath and tried uniting all of my courage that had previously been scattered across the universe, "I was given the name by my parents. They named me after my grandmother... Sir." I didn't know what else to call him so I left it at that.

I heard him stand, well more like felt him stand because elves are extremely silent.

"Well, now that I know you better." I heard the shing of a sword as it was pulled from its sheath and suddenly felt cool metal under my chin. It forced my head up and I met the kings eyes which were a furious shade of crystal blue as he snarled, "Tell me why you kidnapped my granddaughter. I have been alive on this earth for may an age. Do not think that you can fool me. Speak the truth; I will know if you do not."

"Your... granddaughter." I stuttered in shock. ' _Oh man alive. This is way worse than I thought it was going to be._ '

"Yes." he answered coldly, the blade's point pressed harder into my skin.

I went into panic mode but forced myself to be calm, which probably failed miserably, "I... I didn't kidnap her! I found her out by the ruins and was bringing her back."

"You lie!" he growled.

I was fixing to open my mouth again to protest when a yell came from behind us. The blade was removed when Silvius came into view, "Silvius?" came the surprised voice of the king.

Silvius ran up beside me and bowed deeply, "Melda tar, inye alassenyan leryarya. Sa ea ninya saucare i urucarinrya si." (Beloved king, please let her go! It is my doing that made her come here.)

' _I have no idea what he's saying._ ' I numbly thought as I stared in shock at my friend.

The king gaze softened at his grandson, "Manen ea tama anwa?" He then retreated into a suspicious tone, "Lye istaum sinaniss." (How is that true? You know not this woman.)

"Uito, inye finyarya." (No, I do know her.)

"Ui!" the unmasked guard exclaimed. (No!/It can't be so!)

The king was shocked but then became increasingly furious, "Lye?" (How?)

Silvius stood but still maintained a submissive stance, "Esse etelehtaninya vehte." (She saved my life.)

I have no idea what Silvius said but the king's anger diminished so I'm not gonna complain. He motioned for Silvius to continue.

The young elf took a breath and spoke for a few minutes gesturing to me and himself several times before finishing.

The king looked at me and I saw in his eyes a new understanding of me, "Rise." He commanded me and I followed.

He put away his sword and faced me fully, "I feel I must thank you. For you have done me a great service. You saved my grandson's life and have brought me back my granddaughter safe and unharmed, but it is apon cold terms that we must part today. You are free to leave this land of the Avari, but you are forbidden to return. You are an Easterling and we are Elven kind. I will not put the whole of my people in danger so that one may explore the unknown."

The king sent a pointed look at Silvius and the elf lowered his head in shame, "Please forgive me, my lord. I did not understand the magnitude of my actions."

The king nodded his head, "You are forgiven but this conversation is not closed." He then turned to me with a hard stare, "You may go from here in peace and honor, but know that the moment you set foot in my kingdom again, I will not hesitate to carry out the laws that have been written."

I nodded, "I understand, sir."

The king then turned to the unmasked elf to my right, "Sivevarn, you will escort her to the border."

Sivevarn slightly bowed, "Yes, my lord." He then turned to me, "Come."

I looked longingly at Silvius, "Silvius..." my voice trailed off.

"Go." he abruptly said in Braric before turning away.

I looked at him once more before I walked away with the guard, ' _I wish this had never happened._ '

We passed many a suspicious face as we walked to the city gate. I was caught off guard; however, by a tiny yell that sounded off to the right.

"Elanor! Elanor!" I turned to see Elveawen running towards me as fast as her little legs could go. Many of the elven faces were pale with shock as she ran up to me and hugged my leg. I crouched down and she threw her arms around me crying, "Avauta, Elanor! Avauta!"

I didn't know exactly what she meant but I had a pretty good idea that she wanted me to stay. I rubbed her back then pulled from the hug to wipe away her tears with the hem of my sleeve.

I smiled sadly, "Numarie, Elveawen."

She sniffled, "Nu-numarie." but she didn't finish the word before bursting into tears. She ran to my escort and grabbed a hold of his pant's leg, "Sive, ava senryauta!" (Sivevarn, don't let her leave!)

I stood as he crouched to her level with a compassionate stare, "Apsenenin, herince. Esse horyauta." (Forgive me, little lady[pet name]. She must leave.)

She shook her head; the tears streaming down her cheeks were tearing me up inside, "U!" (No!)

"Apsenenin." Sivevarn said before he stood and gently led her over to another elf. He motioned me to continue following him.

I did so trying my best to ignore the wails of the poor girl but they still tore my heart to shreds. I sniffled as a lonely tear slipped down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away. Kids always knew how to tear my heart in two; I shouldn't be surprised that it was any different here.

We reached the gate and they let us through easily enough. Outside the guard turned to me, "It is here that I will bind your eyes. We cannot permit you to see the way to our home."

I nodded, "Alright, just so long as I don't trip and fall on my way."

"You will not." he stated before tying a strap of cloth around my eyes. Boy, when he meant bind he really did mean bind! I've never had a blindfold on this tight before. It certainly got the job done though, because I couldn't see a single thing other than blackness.

I felt a hand gently take hold of my arm and start to lead me through the forest. We walked for hours before he finally stopped me and took my blindfold off. My eyes hardly had to adjust because it was already nighttime but I couldn't resist blinking and rubbing them anyway.

My escort pointed to me to the ruins, "Go and never return." He was then fixing to go when Silvius emerged from the trees. "Silvius!" he stated in shock before pinching the bridge of his nose, "Imne hande le neuro." (I should have known you would follow.)

Silvius knitted his eyebrows, "Inya mercarpa ana merya. Alassenyan, hano." (I wish to speak to her. Please, brother.)

Sivevarn sighed, "Lempe." (Five[minutes].)

Silvius nodded, "Hantanyel." (Thank you.) then walked over to me. He took my elbow in his hand and led me into the ruins.

Once inside I broke away from him and combed my hair back with my hands, "I'm sorry, Silvius. I should have waited here for you. I'm sorry-"

"Thank you." he interrupted me in English.

I turned to him shocked but he continued before I could say anything, "Thank you for bringing my sister home."

"I... I don't know what to say." I shook my head, "Why are you thanking me? I disobeyed you by crossing the border."

"Yes you did," he nodded, "but you did so with the intention of bringing Elveawen back to her people." He then turned away, "If anyone should apologize, it is me. I am the one who told her about you. I suppose she was so enthralled by my stories that she wanted to meet you herself. So, she went in search of you. It is because of me that we are in this situation to begin with."

I walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes."

He shook his head, "No. You do not understand. I am young. I do not have the wisdom of the elders, I do not even have the skills to serve in the guard yet, and I do not have enough forethought to make good decisions."

' _Does that mean he thought that meeting me was a bad decision?_ ' I thought with tears brimming in my eyes.

He sighed and turned to me, "I'm sorry, Elanor." He placed his hand over his heart, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Silvius." I shakily said.

He turned to walk away but stopped mid step to looked back at me, "If you are ever in need of aid. Come here and call my name; I will answer."

"Thank you." I sad before he walked back to Sivevarn and they both disappeared into the trees.

I turned away from the ruins with a heavy heart and tear stained cheeks. I picked up my sketch book and pencil reflecting on how my hoodie was still in the Avari's camp. I smiled weakly as I thought, ' _Good. It will give him something to remember me by._ '

Sighing, I turned away from the ruins once more and began the short trek home.


	13. The Fateful Festival

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not get any money in return for writing this story. The only thing that I have to declare is that I'm sick and tired of having to say that I don't own lotr when it's painfully clear that I don't :P

AU: All of my characters' names have a special meaning. If you'd like to know what they are you can check them out on my profile under " _ **Behind the Names**_ ".

A special thanks to all of my reviewers, followers, and favers...? fave-ies...? people who favorited the story. I wouldn't be continuing it without you!

.oOo.

Chapter XII

The Fateful Festival

 _Learn from yesterday, Live for today,_

 _And hope for tomorrow._

~Albert Einstein

.oOo.

I arrived back at the house with low spirits and a tired mind and body. Darcy ran out to meet me, "Elanor! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine Darcy." I sighed.

"What happened?" she demanded at seeing my distress.

I glance at her with a bewildered look, "I... Silvius... I was banished from the forest. We aren't ever going to see each other again."

She stopped walking me towards the house, "Oh Elanor. I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, "It's not your fault."

She nodded solemnly before changing the subject to something happier, "I forgot to tell you this yesterday but I got... distracted." she skirted around our visit to the forest. I knew she wanted more information but I was glad she let the conversation die. "Anyway," she continued with a smile, "a festival is going to be held next week in the town square!"

I couldn't help but smile as she bounced up and down like a tween dreaming of prom.

"And what goes on in this festival?" I asked amused.

"Oh lots of things!" she grinned, "There will be food and games, and this year I'm finally old enough to join the dances!"

I laughed as I watched her twirl around, "You have someone in mind don't you?"

"What? No!" she stumbled before sadly tucking her curly black hair behind an ear, "All of the young men were taken for the war."

My face fell, "Oh."

She smiled weakly, "But no matter! We will have fun anyway."

I gave her a sympathetic look before smiling myself, "Of course we will."

She grinned back and we headed inside the house for breakfast. Kelvin was still a the table and Cardia was washing dishes at the sink.

"Darcy tells me that you found a place that looked familiar to your home." Kelvin smiled, "What have you to report? I should hope that it is good. You stayed away the whole night after all!"

' _Oh yeah, that's right! I got Darcy to cover for me last night._ ' I realized with a shock, ' _Quick! Think of something convincing to say!_ '

"I thought I did, but it turned out to be untrue. It only looked like a place near my home." I said with a genuine downcast look.

"Ah." he nodded, "I am sorry to hear this." He sighed, "I would advise you not to wander off at night again. It is dangerous in these times."

I nodded, "I won't."

He smiled as he stood to place a hand on my shoulder, "You will find your people again. I know it. Do not give up hope."

I smiled up at him, "Thanks."

With one last nod he walked out of the door and on to his work. I turned back to Darcy and she handed me a slice of bread, "Here. You must be pretty hungry."

"Oh man alive. You're right!" I exclaimed. I must not have realized my hunger because of all the stress. Gave me flashbacks of when I would sit in may room and read all day then dash down at supper to devour everything because I had forgotten to eat. I smiled as I ate the bread and drank the water I was given. Food here wasn't near as good as it was back home, but it did it's job well enough.

When I finished I thanked Cardia for the meal before following Darcy out the door. We then carried out our regular routine and carried herbs to the market where we sold as much as we could. At around noon we packed up and headed back to the house. I helped Darcy put up the leftover herbs and started walking off to the forest to visit Silvius-

I stopped in my tracks as I remembered.

My shoulders slumped, ' _I can't go back._ ' I looked up at the distant woods hoping that I would get a glimpse of my friend, but all that I saw was the gentle waving of the bows as they were blown to and fro by the wind.

I sighed and tried to shrug off the sadness, ' _Well. I missed my training this morning anyway. Might as well do it now._ '

"What are you doing?" Darcy asked me as I started stretching.

I didn't stop to answer, "Beginning my exercise."

"Can I watch?" she asked eagerly.

I shrugged, "I don't see why not." I straightened up and breathed in deeply, "I think it's time that I start back on 'gymnastics' exercises."

Darcy stumbled over the English word, "Jimnastiks?"

I opened my mouth to explain but then closed it, "You know what? Why don't I just show you?"

She nodded and I readied myself to do a cartwheel. It was the simplest thing that I could do to get the meaning of gymnastics across without endangering my own health by trying something that I haven't practiced in nearly two months.

I straightened up with my arms in the air, took a breath, and turned an almost perfect cartwheel.

"Wow!" I heard Darcy exclaim as I straightened up again, "How did you do that?"

I laughed, "Lot's of practice." ' _And guts._ ' I mentally added.

I then sat down on the ground and did leg stretches, and boy oh boy was I tight! "Ow." I mumbled.

Darcy looked at me confused, "Why do you do that if it hurts?"

"Because," I said while straining to touch my toes, "it allows me to move better. No pain," I winced, "no gain."

She looked at me befuddled, "That doesn't sound like a good proverb."

I then switched to stretching out my splits which I was surprised was not as bad as I thought, "Well, that's just a saying that people tell in order to keep others from telling them they're pushing themselves too hard."

"Oh." a very confused Darcy said.

I smirked, "Don't worry about it."

She nodded and continued to watch me stretch out everything. I stayed like this for about an hour before I finally got my split barely on point. Darcy's mouth dropped to the ground when I did it in front of her.

"How...?"

I laughed as I got up, "Persistence."

Deciding to give my legs a break I decided to see if I could still do a handstand. I lifted my arms up then bent over to the ground and with a little difficulty, lifted my feet up in the air. I did manage to stay there, but soon collapsed out of laughter because the skirt of my dress fell down and even though I had pants on, Darcy was still trying to cover up my legs by holding my skirt up.

"Darcy what were you trying to do?" I laughed where I was sprawled out on the ground.

She looked flustered, "You shouldn't do that! It was... indecent!"

This only made me laugh more as I stood up, "I have pants on." I then lifted up my skirt to show her and she immediately batted it down, "Elanor! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

I chuckled and put my arm around her shoulders, "Oh Darcy. You're so ' _naive_ '. It's cute." I walked away and soon heard her flustered voice call out, "What does nieev mean?!"

I laughed again before I turned around, "I'll tell you. If you can catch me!"

"Elanor!" I heard her shout as I turned and ran out into the fields. I looked behind me and she wasn't too far off behind me. I was still faster though. I ran until I could tell she was tiring and slowed down to wait for her.

She soon walked up to me huffing and puffing, "Why... did... you do that...?"

I grinned as a brilliant idea popped into my brain. It was the perfect solution to filling in the time that I would have been spending with Silvius, "That was your self defense lesson for today."

She looked at me confused, "What?"

"I have come to realize that the best option for you in a life threatening situation is to run." sure she was picking up the self defense skill up pretty fast but she still lacked the strength to carry them out well. So I impulsly decided to train her legs in the meantime.

"Oh ok." she huffed, still trying to get her breath.

"Of course, we'll be running together in a more moderate speed but I couldn't help myself." I grinned.

She glared at me, "I don't appreciate it."

I laughed, "I know."

She playfully punched my arm and I smiled.

Thus began the start of a new routine. Basically everything was the same except I would go for a jog with Darcy instead of visiting Silvius. I would often take us up near the forest to entertain the lingering hope that I would see him again, but that hope was crushed every single time I looked. In those days I felt so alone. He had been my one source of English and now I had no one to talk to. Granted his pronunciation could use a ton of work but it was English none the less. Now I really saw how much I missed it.

I went to bed the night before the festival thinking of this same subject. English; Westron. They were one in the same. Westron. The west. My face lit up when I realized that I'd be able to hear English again if I ventured west. But how to get there.

I sighed. I don't know hardly anything about keeping myself alive in the wilds. ' _I wouldn't last two days let alone the near moth it would take to get to a western city_.' I stuck my tongue out, ' _Plus it doesn't help that I look like an Easterling._ '

I silently snorted, ' _I suppose I'll just have to wait this thing out then._ '

I then wondered if the Greenwood elves were going to come east in the war. I sure wish the books would have mentioned something about the East so I would know a little of what's to come in the East! ' _All my knowledge of Middle-earth is of the West so how am I supposed to know these things to keep me alive?_ ' I inwardly groaned, ' _I hope luck chooses to side with me. I don't know if I can survive without it._ '

' _I have no idea what I'm getting myself into._ ' I thought before the night lulled me to sleep.

.oOo.

The next day was filled with excited and busy people hurrying all over the place. In the market place banners were set up and decorations hung across the street in crisscross patterns. The town square was decorated as the dance floor and flower wreaths were everywhere.

Darcy was ecstatic as she carried out the morning task of selling her herbs. So ecstatic that when it was time to head back to the house she almost forgot the left over herbs. I teased her about it all the way home where Cardia called us inside the house as soon as she saw us.

We set aside the herbs and hurried inside where we were met by Cardia who was wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen her don.

"What is it, mama?" Darcy asked.

Cardia smiled even more as she walked to a trunk, "Well, this being the year you come of age, Darcy, and your very first festival, Elanor. I thought it would be appropriate for both of you to have dresses to fit today's occasion."

Darcy and I both gasped when she pulled out two newly sewn dresses out of the trunk. One was a deep red with simple purple accents and the other was a light blue with beautiful silver embroidery.

Darcy thanked her mother profusely when she was handed the blue gown. I grinned and thanked Cardia as well when I received the other.

"Mother, how did you find such soft a cloth? It must have costed so much!" Darcy exclaimed as she wondered at the silky cloth.

Cardia smiled, "Well, after Elanor's generous gift I was able to buy new cloth to fix up my old dress and make a new one." she smiled broader, "The one you're holding, Darcy, was the dress I wore when I met your father."

Darcy gasped in surprise, "Oh mama, that's wonderful!"

I sighed happily as they continued to talk about the dress. Turns out that it had been passed down for many a generation. An heirloom from Cardia's family. ' _Heirlooms. Something modern times miss out on_.' I mused.

Cardia soon insisted that we put on the dresses. I grinned at an idea, "Miss. Cardia. I'll help Darcy get her's on if you want a surprise. I'll call you back in when we're done."

She was confused at first but soon caught on and smiled a thanks before leaving the house.

Darcy looked at me suspiciously, "What are you planning?"

I smiled, "Oh nothing. Now get dressed."

She obeyed and I soon followed. The dress fit like a charm and I wasn't tripping over the hem which I was very grateful for. I then turned to Darcy and ordered her to sit in a chair. She obliged and I started working on her hair. It was definitely a challenge, but I managed to tie her curly hair up in a half up half down plait with only one pin and a tiny strip of leather.

I grinned as I looked her over, "Your mom is going to love this." I turned and opened the front door where Cardia was nervously waiting. She looked up at me and I motioned for her to come inside the house. She complied and I closed the door back behind her.

Darcy turned around to face her mother with a gentle smile on her face. Cardia covered her mouth as her breath was stolen away. Tears came to her eyes, "Oh darling, you look so beautiful."

Darcy blushed and hugged her mother, but they soon broke apart when Kelvin entered the house.

"Is everyone ready-" his words faded as he caught sight of his daughter. He smiled as he walked over to her and gently cupped her cheek, "You look just like your mother."

She smiled and hugged him tight before pulling away with tears brimming in her eyes, "Thank you, Papa."

I chuckled to myself when Kelvin stealthily wiped away a tear before huffing, "Well. the festivities are fixing to begin." He offered his arm to Cardia, "Shall we go?"

My eyes watered as I watched the family smile at each other. Love like that didn't grow on trees, and quite frankly, I didn't know the first step in how to achieve it. 'Maybe I will someday.' I thought as I watched them walk out of the house and on to the town square.

I, of course, was not forgotten; Darcy hooked my arm in her's and whispered, "Thank you, Ella."

I stopped in my tracks, "What did you just say?" I murmured in shock.

She looked at me confused, "Thank you... Ella."

I stared into her eyes, ' _No one except my family ever called me that._ ' I looked away, ' _My family... I know I'll see my parents again. I will never stop looking for a way to find them. I will never stop looking for a way home to my country, my heritage..., but right now. Right now,_ ' I looked back at Darcy with a sad smile, ' _she's all the family I need._ ' That realization came as a shock to me, but I accepted it soother than my gut would have guessed.

My smile turned bright again as I hooked our arms back together, "Never mind. Let's go."

She nodded and with a laugh on her lips she proceeded to drag me down the streets to the town square. My mouth slackened as I looked at the place. Vendors were open with all sorts of treats and goodies and people were already in the square dancing to wonderful music. I looked over at Darcy who was staring at the dancing folk longingly, "Hey Darcy."

She turned to me, "Yes?"

I grinned as I stepped away and bowed low, "My lady, would you join me for a dance?"

She giggled and curtsied back, "I would love to!" I took her hands and we pranced into the square, twirling each other around until we got dizzy and had to stop for a breather.

"Is that how people dance where you come from?" Darcy said as she regained her breath.

I laughed, "No. Not at all." ' _If she saw what they danced like she would turn beet red and stay that way for a whole year._ ' I thought with another laugh.

She smiled, "Well what do they dance like?"

I mentally face-palmed, ' _Oh man alive. You just had to ask that didn't you?_ '

"Umm..." I mumbled while trying to come up with a dance that was "safe". "Waltz!" I exclaimed when it hit me.

She looked at me confused, "What?"

I grinned, "We waltz! Here let me show you."

"Alright." she smiled back.

I then proceeded to give her a two minute lesson on waltzing. I remember Michael took waltzing in high school but admittedly, I hardy remember anything he told me about it.

Darcy soon got the gist of it despite my teaching handicap and we were clumsily waltzing the afternoon away. However, we were broken up at sunset when the gates of the town were opened and a troupe of soldiers clad in black and red road their midnight steeds into the square.

I would soon find out that the one leading them was Azazel, General of the Easterling Army and the father of the mercenary that Silvius killed.


	14. The Blood That Ties (pt 1)

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not earn any money from writing this story as I do not own lotr. My only possessions are my 'oc's.

.oOo.

Chapter XIII

The Blood That Ties

 _The man who gives up freedom for a little peace_

 _will in the end lose both._

 _~Benjamin Franklin_

(pt. 1)

.oOo.

Darcy laughed as I spun her around, I grinned as I took my turn on the spin, and we were swept away again in a lopsided waltz.

"The General!" a man's panicked voice broke us apart, "The general of the Red Army is here!"

Before I could ask what was going on, more than a dozen soldiers rode into the square. They were clothed in black and crimson. Their horses were black as midnight. The wind blew just then and out flew a black flag from a pole one rider was holding. I looked closer and saw the pattern of an eye painted on the cloth with what looked like blood.

I gazed at their leader cautiously. His clothes were black and a red scarf hung at his neck. He looked to be a man in his late forties. He had grey streaks in his neatly kept black hair and an almost clean shaven face which was darkened with years under the sun's rays. And his eyes . . . were black as the dark side of the moon. I could distinguish no pupil and the void of it contrasted greatly with the whites of his eyes.

"The Eastern Guard." came Darcy's frightened whisper as she subconsciously moved behind me.

I narrowed my eyes at the leader of the troupe as he coolly called out into the crowd, "Where is the Master of this town? Kelvin, show yourself!"

Kelvin left Cardia and stepped forward unwavering, "Here, my lord." He bowed as the leader walked his horse over to him.

"I assume you are aware of a group of mercenaries that traveled through here recently?" he said authoritatively.

Kelvin nodded and I wondered why a few mercenaries would be so important.

"Well it should intrigue you that one of those mercenaries was my son." his grip on the reigns tightened and lowering his voice he continued, "It would be in your best interests to tell me where he went. I want to know what occurred here, and I will find out one way or another."

Kelvin spoke with ease, "I am sorry my lord. Your son and his comrades entered the Forest three weeks ago. They did not return."

"The Forest you say." the leader thought aloud, "And what might drive them in there?"

A man from the crowd spoke up, "My lord if I may. I heard them speaking of the Derali and they decided to go catch one."

The General glared at the ground, "Fools." he looked to the rest of the people, "If there is any other information that you are withholding, speak now or you shall fear my wrath tomorrow."

Stifling silence followed after the General's words. Everyone seemed to back up Kelvin who did not make a move to speak.

The General narrowed his eyes before turning back to the man who had spoken before, "Did you happen to hear anything else?" He reached into a pocket in his saddle and pulled out a coin purse which her threw onto the ground in front of the man.

The man stayed rigid and did not move. The General chuckled, "I'll leave you to think about it."

His horse shifted a bit when he turned back to Kelvin, "I trust you won't mind if my men spend the night wherever they wish?"

I could see Kelvin grind his teeth, "No, I have no objections."

'What?' I thought, 'How could he just let him do that?!'

The General continued with an infuriating smile, "I will be working in your offices as well and the hospitality of your home would be quite refreshing as well."

"You are welcome wherever you wish to go." Kelvin silently sighed.

"Good." the General smiled then ordered his men to dismount and they dispersed into the crowd.

He dismounted and handed his horse over to one of his soldiers who took it away. He then addressed the people in the square, "Please, continue your merriment!" and the musicians started up playing again.

Kelvin dismissed himself and took Cardia back in the direction of the house. Darcy followed after me as I marched after Kelvin.

I caught up to him and Cardia when we arrived outside the house, "Why did you let him do that? He walked all over you and you just stood there and took it!"

Kelvin turned around at me furiously, "I did not have a choice! Asking for permission is only a formality! There was nothing I could do. He has a troop with weapons and armor; we have only our working clothes and our gardening tools! Do you expect me to lead my people into a massacre?"

I took a mental step back, "No. I suppose not."

He continued, "I will take a chance to ensure your safety, but I will not risk the safety and peace of my people just because some soldiers want bedding for the night."

I sighed as he and Cardia walked inside the house. Darcy put a hand on my shoulder, "I don't like it either, Elanor, but it's a necessary evil."

I clenched my fist, "A wise man once said that the man who gives up freedom for a little peace will in the end lose both. I'm not going to let him do this."

Walking into the house I opened my mouth, "Kelvin, you cannot live like this and expect to prosper!"

He turned on me, "I have no choice."

"Yes, you do!" I fought back.

"Am I interrupting something?" we both turned to see the General standing in the doorway.

Kelvin recovered with a warning look at me, "No, lord Azazel. The conversation was just ending."

Azazel nodded and closed the front door behind him with a smile, "Come now, Kelvin. We are alone now. Let us talk in kindess like we used to."

"That was a long time ago, Azazel. Things have changed."

"You are right as always, older brother, I don't remember you having two daughters. You must have gotten busy after your accident."

I could tell Kelvin was stressed as he spoke, "This is Elanor, a friend of my family and of my daughter."

Azazel nodded slowly at me, "How old are you, girl?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Eighteen."

"And without a husband?" he scoffed, "What a waist."

I ground my teeth, "I believe that is for me to decide."

"Defiant aren't we?" he said.

Cardia spoke up for me then as she brought over some tea, "She is not from around here, my lord."

"And where is she from?"

"The south east." I said before anyone could speak for me again.

He nodded in thought as if he had silently confirmed something, "That is Derali country." he tilted his head at me and said to himself, "Why would you live there?"

Kelvin spoke up again then, "Darcy, take Elanor up to the loft. The General and I have some things to discuss."

Darcy nodded and took my arm but I moved away from her and sprang up the ladder before she could say anything about it.

That night I lay awake listening to the tense conversation between Kelvin and the General.

"Why did you come here?" Kelvin asked.

"I have already told you." said Azazel, "To find my son and if he is dead, punish the one who gave the final blow."

"And what makes you think that I would know anything about it?"

"Because," a pause of silence began until Azazel spoke, "you owe me a favor."

"A favor for what? Getting me discharged from the army?"

"You're lucky I got you discharged. If I hadn't had mercy, you would have been imprisoned or even executed."

"You were always jealous of my position in the army, little brother. I wouldn't be surprised if you had set up the entire event."

My eyes widened as the sound of a drawn sword rang out in the house. "You know nothing of what a hell it was like to live in your shadow!" Azazel shouted then drew back after a moment, "But the past is in the past, and I am willing to leave it there."

"I was willing fifteen years ago, but that changed when you came here." Kelvin said, "I know now that we will never forget the past and I will never forget the scars that it left. Find your son, then leave my town and take that army with you."

"Very well, but we will see each other again, Kelvin. When that time comes, you had better hope that arm has healed its scars. You're going to need it to fight."

.oOo.

The next morning I got up in the twilight hours before sunrise and walked outside to start my practice. I did my stretches first and then strung up a bale of hay, beginning to punch and kick it.

Over the past few weeks I had become almost as strong as I had been when I was on earth. Though, everything I did here felt a whole lot easier than it did back home. I was able to do several consecutive front flips late in the first week of starting back my gymnastics when it would have taken me at least another two weeks to master the skill again. Even running and jumping were easier than they had ever been. I shrugged it off and continued my exercises.

"You have good form."

I turned startled at the voice and saw Azazel leaning against a fence post, "Who taught you? I have never seen fighting tactics as such." he asked.

"Elanor!" Darcy called out as she jumped out from the front door of the house then suddenly stopped short when she saw the General. "Breakfast is ready." she quietly said before hurrying back inside.

There was a silence before I spoke.

"My brother taught me." I reluctantly replied to Azazel's question.

"Really." he said to himself, "What is his name?"

I walked past him, "You have not heard of him."

I almost got to the front door when his voice reached my ears again, " _You intrigue me, Eleanor._ " I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart sunk into my stomach. He was speaking English.

I turned back to him; he was standing a bit away with a look of victory in his old eyes, " _Come now. You surely didn't think that I wouldn't notice your western accent._ "

Me having an accent hadn't crossed my mind at all. 'This is not good at all.' I thought in shock.

I kept speaking in Braric, "I do not know what you mean."

He continued in English, " _Eleanor is an Elvish name. It is strange that an Easterling would be called by it. Unless,"_ he switched to Braric with a hardened tone, "you are a part of the Derali."

"No, I am not a part of them." I returned the hard stare, "I am the last person they would call a friend." I felt like he noticed that what I said was not a lie nor the truth, but he did not say anything about it.

I turned and entered the house noticing that he watched me very intently as I did so. I quickly shut the door behind me and ate breakfast with Darcy.

Kelvin and Cardia were already about their business by the time we finished. So, I followed Darcy outside where the general was nowhere to be seen. We gathered up our herbs and went to town where things went pretty normal except for the soldiers who seemed to be everywhere.

Deciding to take advantage of my new subject, I sat down on a crate and began drawing them. They were all very pale and had scarlet scarves wrapped around the lower halves of their faces. Their swords were curved and reminded me of a pirate's saber.

Soon after I finished my sketches Darcy had finished up the day and called me to help her pack up. I did so and we were soon on our way back to the house.

Once everything was put in it's rightful place I took Darcy on our daily run. It seemed like she enjoyed them very much; especially when I didn't push her to go faster constantly, but overall she was a good sport about it.

I led us up by the Forest again today and looked longingly into the trees. Oh what I would give to see Silvius again. Besides him there was only Azazel that could speak my language, and I can't let the general of Sauron's army figure out who I am or what I know. Not ever.

We arrived back at the house in record time. Darcy was panting and I was breathing a little heavy but not much. Another odd thing I suppose.

The sun was starting to set so we hurried inside to help Cardia with supper only to be met with the blade of a sword at our necks.

Kelvin and Cardia were standing by the fireplace and one of the soldiers from town was holding the blade.

Azazel was sitting relaxed in a chair by the table, "Darcy, you may join your parents."

She happily complied and rushed over to her mother who hugged her tightly.

The general turned his head to me, "My guard here tells me that you saw my son being killed."

I straightened up and tried to muster my courage, which was very little, concerning that death was only a few centimeters away.

"Killed by a Derali." he continued, "You're probably wondering how I know this." Standing he started to pace the room, "Well, my soldiers... persuaded a man in town to tell what happened to the mercenaries. He said that you were a Derali sympathizer and helped them kill my son and his companions."

"That is a lie." I said without reproach.

He shrugged, "Whether 'tis a lie or not, you still know what happened to my son that night. If you wish to keep your life," the sword was drawn closer to my neck, "you had better start speaking."

'What am I going to do?' I thought, 'Silvius was acting in self defense! I don't even know if the one he killed was Azazel's son! I cannot condemn him to being hunted down and yet I cannot condemn Azazel for wanting to avenge his son.' I closed my eyes, 'I would say that I have nothing to live for but that wouldn't be true. Mom and dad are still alive. I know it! But I can't let the Avari suffer from my selfishness.'

I looked at Azazel in determination, "I will tell you nothing."

He tilted his head at me in silence, "Very well." He waved his hand and the sword was taken away and sheathed. "I do not need you to tell me where the Derali are. That Forest has stood there for far too long." he walked to the door and opened it, "I will find the one who killed my son, even if I have to burn that whole forest to the ground. And you, Kelvin, will not interfere this time."

He went out, the guard close behind, and they shut and bolted the door. I walked over to the window and saw that guards had been set around the house.

Turning back I saw Kelvin sink into a chair putting his graying head into his hands. Cardia laid her hands on his shoulders before turning to Darcy, "There is some bread left over in the pantry. Take it and go to bed."

Darcy nodded, "Yes, mother"

I followed Darcy up the ladder and refused the bread she tried to get me to eat. Laying down on my cot, facing the wall and thinking about the events of the day, I stayed up well past when all the candles were put out.

'They are going to burn the forest down.' I thought numbly. 'No. They won't.' I glared at the wall in determination, 'I won't let them.'


	15. The Blood That Ties (pt 2)

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not get any money from writing this story. I only own my Ocs.

"Braric"

 _'Thoughts'_

"English"

(Elvish Translations)

.oOo.

Chapter XIII

The Blood That Ties (pt. 2)

.oOo.

I lay awake on my cot in the dead of night. The soft breaths of the ones around me and my empty thoughts were my only company.

My mind went back to the memory of my grandparents' forest. It was so beautiful and wild. I remember walking under it's branches and feeling the soft spring breeze rustling the leaves and the sounds of the many birds flying through the tree tops.

That wonderful place met its end when my grandparents died. We lived too far away from their house to keep it up so dad had to sell it. However, he didn't know that the buyer would level the entire property. That event crushed me. I went days where I wouldn't hardly crack a smile. That forest was the only strong link I had to my father's parents, the only one's I knew.

' _If that forest meant so much to me, then how much does the forest mean to the Avari?_ ' I thought sadly, ' _I had only fifteen years of memories but those people have thousands apon thousands of years spent among those trees. It's their home, and Azazel wants to burn it to the ground._ ' I balled up my fist, ' _Well, it's not going to happen. I'll see to that!_ '

I sat up then halted with slumped shoulders and a sigh, ' _I'm banished. The moment I set foot across that border near the Ruins I'm toast. They would never listen to me long enough to hear my warning; that is, if I even saw them in the first place_.'

I straightened, ' _Silvius! He would believe me!_ ' I glared determinately out the loft window, ' _He has to._ '

I nodded to myself and grabbed my tennis shoes and climbed silently down the ladder. I crept to the back of the house and looked out the window there and saw another guard standing a little aways from the house. Just barely far enough away not to hear me as I opened the window and climbed out.

I crept around him keeping my body low and using the wind to mask my footsteps. I was nearly away when the back window suddenly slammed shut. The guard rushed over to it giving me the time to get away from the house without being seen.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I got far enough away to not have to worry about masking my footsteps. I quickly slipped on my shoes then stood.

I looked into the forest. ' _Silvius said to come to the ruins if I needed him, but I don't need him. He needs me._ '

I drew in a confident breath before crossing the line into the forest.

My feet followed the familiar path with quick and confident strides and I soon came to the old stone road. From there I jogged to the ruins and up into the main hall.

"Silvius?" I called out into the darkness, "Silvius, I need to talk to you!"

I whispered, "Please tell me your there."

There was silence for a minute before a familiar voice spoke from behind me, "Elanor?"

I turned and saw the silver haired elf standing by the stairwell.

A smile broke onto my face, "Silvius!" I ran over and hugged him but drew away quickly.

In my panic to tell him my message I switched over to English, "You need to go back and warn your people!"

He held my shoulders, "Why? What is wrong?"

"General Azazel, came this morning with a whole troop of soldiers. One of the mercenaries that was killed here, he was Azazel's son! And he's vowed to take revenged on you and the others." Silvius' hands dropped to his sides and he walked a short distance away as I continued, "He's coming here tomorrow and sunrise. So that's why you must go warn your people!"

"My grandfather feared this, but foresaw it nonetheless." he smirked, "Besides, they will never be able to find us before we find them."

"That's not the point!" I stomped my foot, "He said he's coming here tomorrow and he's going to burn the whole forest to the ground to smoke you out!"

Silvius' eyes widened, "Fo." (No)

"Silvius!" we both turned abruptly to look to the newcomer. It was the guard whom escorted me out of the borders of the Avari's land. I immediately took a step behind Silvius as the elf marched forward, "Imneista hi lye cenai ninya ponte uvaquer!" (I knew here you would come here if my back be turned!)

I immediately kicked myself mentally for not practicing my Quenya; I had no idea what he just said, but I have a feeling it had something to do with me.

Silvius stepped forward to meet him speaking in Braric (probably for my sake), "It is a good thing indeed that you do not rule my life, Sivevarn. For if I had not come here, I would have never heard what will save many of the lives of our people!"

Sivevarn frowned, "If what she says is true-"

"It is." Silvius stated, "I believe her."

The warrior sighed and reverted back to Quenya, "Silvius, tye lertau mernye ana savrya ve lefinya!" (You cannot expect me to believe her just because you do!)

"Why?" Silvius clenched his fist, "Ten' im vinya? Ten' im horea?" (Because I am young? Because I am naive?)

Sivevarn sighed, "Imne va quettai." (I did not say that.)

"Le va maure ana." (You did not need to.)

"Silvius, inye-"

I blinked, Sivevarn cried out, an arrow was suddenly deep in his shoulder. "Get down!" he yelled at us as he drew his sword.

Silvius obeyed out of shock and dragged me to the ground beside him.

Sivevarn whipped around his sword as many soldiers came running into the ruins. I looked away as he sliced through the enemy without any hesitation or thought to the arrow protruding from him.

But oh why had I looked to my left? For right before my eyes there hung a giant, hairy, black spider. I screamed and jumped up and away from it indirectly distracting Sivevarn. He gave out a cry of pain and staggered back into a wall. His sword slipped from his hand in the shock of the blow; blood was dripping from his fingertips.

"Sivevarn!" Silvius yelled as the elf was sliced across the arm again and kicked to the ground where he stayed motionless.

Silvius then charged from our hiding place and took up the Sivevarn's fallen sword defending him from the soldiers still in the ruins, but to my horror he was soon overpowered and brought to the ground.

The remaining soldiers began speaking amongst themselves.

I was frozen to my spot on the stone floor still shaking from what I had seen and still casting fearful glances at the spider in the corner as a soldier walked over to me, "What about this one?" I yelped when he pulled me up by my hair. He looked at my ears, "She's not a Derali."

"Leave her. The General's orders." another soldier said, "She's harmless anyway."

The soldier let my hair go and I fell onto my hands, "What about that one? He sure put up a fight." I hazily saw him walk over to Sivevarn and kick his side, "He killed four of our best men!"

"Sivevarn." I heard Silvius whisper.

A soldier laughed, "I doubt the General wants us to bring back a corpse for him to beat."

A stone dropped in my stomach; my lips quivered, "Dead?"

I watched as Silvius stared at the soldiers body in shock, "Ninya hano ea qualin."

"That's enough out of you, Derali." I winced as the soldier backhanded him. "Lets get going."

They hauled Silvius to his feet and I barely registered when they left the ruins.

I shakily stood as the sky began to light in the east with the sun's dull rising rays. Many bodies of dead soldiers littered the floor, and there in the middle of it all lay Sivevarn.

"Hano." I repeated. ' _Why does that word sound familiar?_ ' "Hano... Brother."

'Brother?' my eyes widened and I took a step back colliding with the wall behind me. ' _No. No, he can't be dead!_ ' my eyes began to water, ' _His brother._ '

A tear rolled down my cheek as Sivevarn's face was replaced with William's, "How could I have let this happen?" I staggered over to Silvius' brother and fell onto my knees at his side. His eyes were open and unfocused. The arrow lodged in his shoulder looked incredibly deep and the lacerations on his arms were long and jagged.

I bowed my head and wept. ' _He's dead and it's my fault._ ' I hadn't even thought to check if anyone was following me! Now they have Silvius and Azazel is going to kill him.

I slammed my fist on the stone floor, ' _Why am I such a failure? Why do I always let these things happen?_ '

The leaves high in the trees rustled as a cool wind blew past. It's swirl reached down fanning out my hair seeming to pull me back towards the lake. I looked up at the decaying archway of the mansion, the light of the morning casting it in a pale light.

A storm is approaching on the Western horizon; I can taste the rain in the air.

I slowly stood to my feet and took a step towards the mansion gate. I heard a quiet clang when my shoe made contact with Sivevarn's fallen sword. I looked down at the elegant blade. Covered in blood, it looked battle born and hungry for more.

I reached down and grasped the hilt raising the blade up. It was heavy, but my grief weighed more in the balance. I gripped the sword as the wind whipped my hair. Tears fell from my eyes but sobs no longer escaped my lips. Memories of the little elf girl I helped, flashed in my mind. Silvius' little sister.

' _If he dies, she'll be all alone_.'

I ground my teeth as I glared in the direction of the town.

Sivevarn may be dead, but I won't let Silvius go. I can't let Elveawen be left alone... like I am.

So, if Azazel wants Silvius, he'll have to get him over my dead body.


	16. Battleborn Too Early

AU/ So... I changed my mind. Mainly because I didn't want to have to rewrite everything. And... I remembered that I had already made a separate story for the POVs of different people called Another Point of View so if you wanted to read that instead, it'd be fine with me.

Sorry for the slow update. Life has been happening quite fast for me. I got a job a couple of months ago and I'm graduating in a few weeks. And that means lots and lots of schoolwork. Not to mention the pressure of the oncoming eighteen adulthood mark that's fixing to come up.

With that in mind know that I am still planning on continuing this story even if it kills me! I'll try and steel moments of time for writing whenever I can. Hopefully after I graduate I'll have a bit more free time on my hands but if not, never fear! There will be another update. I just don't know when that might be.

Anyway, leave a review and tell me how you liked this chapter. I love hearing everyone's opinion on my writing. Reviews are life!

A big thanks to all the people who have supported me so far. You guys are the best!

So without further adue! The next chapter!

P.S. I'm sorry if this chapter is riddled with mistakes. I'm caught in a bit of a rut right now and I needed to get something published or I wouldn't write at all. I'll revise it later if it needs it (which it probably does)

oOoOoOo

 _Italicized thoughts_

English underlined

Braric normal

oOoOoOo

.oOo.

Chapter XIV

Battleborn Too Early

 _The danger of failure should not deter you_

 _from continuing the case which_

 _you consider right._

~Abraham Lincoln

.oOo.

I ran, under tree and sky, over the creek and through the underbrush.

I felt the rain hit my arms and face as I broke out of the trees and onto the field. My breath came heavily as I felt the burn in my legs. It had been a long time since I had run like this. Every stride, every step I used my strength to push me faster. Even though the blade I carried was heavy, I did not allow it to slow my pace.

I came to my house and slid to a stop when Kelvin latched onto my arm, "Elanor! What are you doing?"

Yelling through the rain I answered, "I'm going to save my friend!" and I tried to shake him off but he was stronger than I'd expected.

"You can't!" he wrestled the sword from me and it fell to the ground too far away for me to reach.

"Azazel has him! He's gone!"

Fighting against him I cried, "Let me go! I'll find him!"

"You'll get yourself killed!" I heard Kelvin say as he tried to restrain me.

The warmth of my own tears clashed with the north rain as my attempts of escape became weaker. I beat my fists into Kelvin's chest, "I don't care! I have to save him. I have to!"

My knees felt weak and I began to shake as tears flowed from my eyes. I wasn't struggling anymore. I didn't have the strength.

He set me down on the road gently as I kept whispering, "I have to fix it. It's my fault! It's my... fault."

"Come." Kelvin said before he helped me to my feet.

My breath caught as I numbly stood and followed him inside, leaning on him heavily.

"Oh dear, you're soaked to the bone!" Cardia fussed over me, "What came over you to leave? It was a foolish thing to do!" she rushed me to the fire and stared to ring out my clothes while Kelvin ventured back outside. After she was satisfied, I was set down at the table and given some hot broth which I rejected. My stomach turned at the thought of meat.

"It's good." Darcy nudged it a little closer.

'When did she get here?' I thought as I stared at her worried face.

She sat down beside me and took my hand in hers. They were warm; I wanted to pull away. "Are you alright, Elanor?" she searched my eyes.

"No." I murmured. I took a breath, "And I won't be until I know Silvius is safe."

"Forget him." Kelvin said. Evidently he had returned... with Sivevarn's sword.

I looked up at him, "What did you say?"

He returned my gaze after he hid the sword in a bedside trunk, "It is better for everyone if you forget this... Derali."

"For everyone except Silvius." I clenched my fist.

He sighed, "I know it is hard for you to understand-"

"Oh I understand perfectly." I rolled my eyes, "I understand a whole lot more about this world than you ever will!" ' _Careful Eleanor._ ' I scolded myself knowing just how close I had been to telling about my future knowledge.

He stared down at me with tight lips, "You should learn when to hold your tongue, girl. I do not know from whence you came but you will abide to the rules of the East!"

"And what rules are those?" I narrowed my eyes.

He drew himself to his full height, "No one, under any circumstances is to challenge the will of the general. For it is the will of the Master. The punishment for such an act is death." his gaze softened, "This is why you must forget him. Elanor, you have become a part of this family, I will not see you so easily ripped away from us." his eyes flicked to Darcy and I knew what he really meant was that I was her family, not his.

I looked down at my lap before I slammed my hands down on the table and stood from my chair, knocking it to the floor, "No! I won't let him die like this!" I pointed at him, "You may be too much of a coward to face your brother but I'm not!"

Cardia gasped, "Elanor! You shouldn't-"

"Coward?" Kelvin cut her off in a half yell, "Are these the marks of a coward?" he pulled back the sleeve of his left arm to reveal several scars, "I helped those Derali a long time ago and they did not give me any thanks! What makes you think they'll treat you any better?"

I looked down at my feet as I thought of how Silvius stood up for me in front of his grandfather. The pain I knew he felt when he said goodbye, and the many days we spent together before, talking and laughing... as friends.

I looked up at Kelvin with tears in my eyes, "Because they already have." and I walked past him to the trunk and pulled out Sivevarn's sword.

"Fine then. Go. I care not." I heard Darcy call her father as he marched out of his home.

I gripped the sword tight in my hand. "He doesn't mean that." I turned to see Cardia walking towards me. She put her hand on my shoulder and with her other she lifted my chin. "He just does not understand. We women feel differently than men. But there are times when our hearts are wrong." She began to take the sword from me, "Obeying authority is the only way we can make sure our lives."

"No!" I backed away from her, "That is not the way!"

"It is the way of the East, child!"

I stood firm, "Well, it is not my way. Authority can be wrong and wicked. Azazel is horrible, and so is his master! I'm going, and don't try and stop me."

I rushed past her to the door but a voice stopped me. "Elanor. Please don't go." Darcy gazing at me with tears brimming in her eyes, "I can't lose you."

I looked at her confidently, "You won't." and left them behind.

The rain had stopped but ominous clouds still hung over over me. I looked down at the sword in my hands. The rain had washed away the blood and it felt heavier now that I couldn't feel the blade calling out for more, but my resolve was strong.

I gripped the sword and began striding down the road to the town square. Walking, because I now was slowed by thoughts. ' _What if I can't save Silvius? What if we both die today? If that were to happen then no one would be reunited with their family. Mom and Dad would have sent me away for nothing. William's sacrifice would be in vain._ ' I closed my eyes hard, ' _No. I'm going to get both of us home even if I have to raise Silvius from the dead!_ '

I let the sword swing at my side as I began running down the street. Many of a shocked faces I passed in my flight and many of the General guards spotted me, but I didn't care.

I reached the square and came to a screeching halt when I was faced with a dozen or more archers aiming nowhere but my chest. My heart quickened.

"Eleanor, isn't it?" some of Azazel's men stepped aside to let him through. I frowned at his use of English. It was heavily accented. Almost as if he only learned it to pry information out of others.

"The Derali sympathizer. Let me guess. You are here for him." he gestured to Silvius behind him. I gasped. His face was bloody and I could tell by the way he was slouched over he had more than a few broken ribs. He looked up at me and started but fell back with a wince of pain.

"Elanor..., go! Get... away from here!" he gasped.

All I could do was shake my head but Azazel filled in the dead space with his harsh Braric. "He is right. This does not concern you. Go home." he turned away calling off his archers but I couldn't just let him go like this.

I looked at him knowing there was only one way I could do this, "Wait!" he paused. "I have a proposition for you."

He turned with a smile, "Oh? And what would that be?"

I took a deep breath, "I challenge you to a duel."

"No! Elanor!" was all Silvius could manage before one of his guards gave his stomach a silencing kick.

The general laughed, "You? Against me? How shall a worm fight against the heel of my boot?" With that a few chuckles rang out among the crowd of soldiers.

Narrowing my eyes I sneered, "Well, this worm is fixing to make you swallow your teeth."

He took a step forward, "You must know that defying me is the same as defying the Master. I could take your life right now, but... I will forgive you if you will only bow down at my feet and beg it so."

I glared at him in mounting fury. ' _How dare he!_ ' "I will never bow down to the likes of you nor your master! He is a deceiver and you will fall with him!"

"How dare you speak out against the great One. Beg his forgiveness!"

By this time several people had emerged from their homes and they were staring at the scene in frightened wonder.

I ground my teeth before yelling out my rage, "I will never beg anything from him or you! And if you want Silvius," I twirled the sword with a smirk, "you'll have to get him over my dead body!"

Azazel gazed downwards with a sigh before looking back up at me, a dark expression clouding his gaze, "Very well."

I blinked and he was in front of me grabbing my blade with his gloved hand and slicing my shoulder open with his sword. I screamed as I felt the metal scraping against bone and let go of Sivevarn's sword hearing Silvius call my name in the far off distance. Gripping at my shoulder I staggered back. Azazel now had both of swords but he cast mine away, kicking me to the ground in a moment and I sobbed where I lay. My shoulder hurt so much!

I felt a hot hand close around my neck and opened my eyes to see the General lift my frame off the ground like I weighed nothing. Forgetting my shoulder I clutched at his hand gasping for breath. He raised his sword and dug the point into my side.

"Did you really think that you could fight me?" he scoffed. "What... a... waist."

The sword began to pierce into my abdomen and closing my eyes I waited for death to come but instead I saw flashed of memory. Silvius and... my parents. Warm tears began to roll down my face in silent trails of salt. ' _I can't die. Not now!_ '

"No." I gasped.

He halted his blade to question and in that moment of hesitation I took my chance. The lack of air had faded my vision but I could still feel his shoulder crack out of place underneath my feet as I straightened out and twisted his arm along the length of my body.

He gave out a mighty bellow and released me to fall to the cobbled street. A ringing in my ears became unbearable with the crack of my head against the stone.

Withe great difficulty I managed to lean up enough to see three generals staggering, clutching his shoulder with his sword still firmly in hand. The ringing lessened and I shrank back when Azazel looked at me in pure hatred, "I think it is time we end this little dance."

He came at me again with his sword in a full ark but it never met it's target. The clanging of swords was heard in the square as I saw Kelvin block the blow meant for me. I couldn't believe my eyes when he advanced on the general and twisted the sword out of his hand.

the soldiers immediately closed in on Kelvin but he didn't pay them any mind as he stood fir mist the point of his blade at his brother's neck.

"What are you waiting for?" Azazel asked, "Go on! Kill me! It's what you've always wanted."

"I don't want you dead. I want you gone. Get out of my city!" Kelvin stepped back and pointed his sword to the road leaving town.

"Oh yes, I'll be leaving, and I'll be taking you with me."

"No!" I vaguely heard Cardia cry as Kelvin was restrained. My consciousness faded in and out as i watched the soldiers push her back from saving her husband. Darcy tried to get to me as well but she was met by the same force. Azazel then said something about Kelvin harboring a spy and how that was a bad thing among other choice words.

Amidst the chaos I felt my shoulder which had fallen strangely numb and felt a warm sticky substance that felt like it was gushing out of me like a fountain. Letting my hand fall to the ground I closed my tiring eyes.

"Elanor!" I heard I whisper. I opened my heavy eyes and slowly searched for the speaker. It was Silvius. ' _Strange_ ' I thought, ' _He's too far away to whisper._ ' and I began to close my eyes again but his voice broke through the blackness again, "Do not go to sleep! Please, Elanor!" But even with his words I felt the sweet song of sleep calling my name. "Just a few moments more!" he said, "Don't give up now!"

My eyes closed and a few moments later I heard a faint horn being blown. A clear horn. Full of power and grace. Then I felt two arms lifting me off the ground and carrying me away. I didn't know where. I just felt the soft breeze against my cheek and the bight of the wind in my shoulder.


End file.
